Lok Sabha Question No. 1289 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-11
Subject: Survey for Strengthening Irrigation System in Jharkhand
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Nishikant Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1289 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2025

## SURVEY FOR STRENGTHENING IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN JHARKHAND

1289.  DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष और िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has conducted any recent survey in Jharkhand regarding percentage of agricultural land that does not have irrigation system as paddy is the main crop of the State and there is no adequate water system for it; (b) if so, the details thereof and the manner in which the dependence on rain could be reduced; and (c) the Government's response to the damage caused due to monsoon-based farming in the State? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष और िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR) (a) & (b): As per Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare annual publication namely; 'Land Use Statistics at a Glance, 2022-23' based on information furnished by States/UTs, out of total 1.23 million hectares gross cropped area of Jharkhand, 0.21 million hectares area is reported as gross irrigated area. The Government has implemented several initiatives to reduce dependency on rainfed, enhance irrigation  infrastructure,  promote  sustainable  water management  practices, and develop climate-resilient agricultural systems to reduce dependence on rainfall and mitigate the impacts of irregular monsoons. Key measures include:

I. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): Launched in 2015, PMKSY aims to enhance irrigation coverage and water-use efficiency. It focuses on providing irrigation to  every  field,  promoting  water  conservation,  and  improving  water-use  efficiency.  The scheme includes components like Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) and Har Khet Ko Pani, which work towards expanding irrigation infrastructure.

II. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): Under RKVY, state governments are advised to  allocate  5  to  10% of  the funds for interventions that minimize the adverse impact of aberrant monsoons on agriculture. This includes constructing water harvesting structures, promoting moisture conservation practices, and restoring irrigation infrastructure.

III. Promotion of Climate-Resilient Crop Varieties: The government has been developing and promoting climate-resilient seed varieties to withstand erratic weather patterns.

IV. Organic Farming  Initiatives:  Programs  like  the  Paramparagat  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana (PKVY) encourage organic farming practices, which often require less water and are more resilient  to  climate  variability.  This  initiative  supports  farmers  in  adopting  sustainable agricultural practices.

- V. Watershed  Development  Component  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) is for the development of rainfed and degraded lands in the country. The activities undertaken, inter-alia, include ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, rainwater harvesting, nursery raising, pasture development, livelihoods for asset-less persons etc. WDC-PMKSY, through these interventions, seeks to ensure sustainable development through improved natural resource management and better resilience of farmers to climate change. These initiatives collectively aim to enhance irrigation infrastructure and promote sustainable water management practices to reduce dependence on rainfall and mitigate the impacts of irregular monsoons.

(c): The  State  Government  is  primarily  responsible  for  providing  necessary  relief measures in  the  wake  of  natural  calamities.  For  undertaking  relief  measures,  funds  are available  with  the  State  Government  in  the  form  of  the  State  Disaster  Response  Fund (SDRF).  Additional  financial  assistance,  over  and  above  SDRF,  is  considered  from  the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of severe nature and is approved on the basis of Memorandum received from the State Government, in accordance with established procedures. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) provides relief under NDRF to farmers who have lost their crops due to drought, hailstorm, pest attack and cold wave/frost. Further,  to  provide  relief  to  the  farmers  on  occurrence  of  natural  calamities,  the component of interest subvention is available on the restructured amount to banks for the first year and such restructured loans would attract normal rate of interest from the second year onwards as per the policy laid down by RBI. Interest subvention and prompt repayment incentive  on  restructured  crop  loans  is  also  given  to  farmers  affected  by  severe  natural calamities for a maximum period of 5 years based on the report of Inter-Ministerial Central Team  (IMCT)  for  grant  of  NDRF  assistance  and  Sub-Committee  of  National  Executive Committee (SC-NEC). The  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  and  Restructured  Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), a flagship scheme of Ministry of Agriculture and  Farmers  Welfare  with  the  objective  to  protect  farmers  from  crop  loss  due  to unforeseen natural calamities from pre-sowing to post harvest and to provide adequate financial  support  to  farmers  in  the  event  of  loss  of  crops.  Jharkhand  has  implemented

PMFBY since Kharif 2024.

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