Lok Sabha Question No. 2594 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-16
Subject: Decline in Fertile Land
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Ganapathy Rajkumar P

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2594

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16 th  DECEMBER, 2025

## DECLINE IN FERTILE LAND

2594.  DR. GANAPATHY RAJKUMAR P:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष और ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Union Government is aware of the fact that in the recent past, fertile land  is  being  decreasing  due  to  Indiscriminate  acquisition  of  farm  land  for  various purposes/uses for urbanization, industrialization & Infrastructure Development, particularly for expansion of national highways across the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof?
- (c) whether the Union Government will take immediate necessary action to curtail the use  of  fertile  land  for  various  infrastructural  activities  in  future  so  as  to  protect  our agriculture  and  farmers  which  is  back  bone  of  our  economy  and  to  prevent  food shortage/famine in future;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) &  (b): As per the latest report on 'Land Use Statistics-at a Glance 2023-24', the Gross  Cropped  Area  has  expanded  significantly,  rising  from  201.3  million  hectares  in 2013-14  to  217.8  million  hectares  in  2023-24  and  the  Net  Area  Sown  has  remained relatively  stable,  standing  at  138.99  million  hectares  in  2023-24.  The  Department  of Agriculture  and  Farmers Welfare  does  not  centrally  maintain  data  on  agricultural  land acquired for various purposes.

(c) to (e) : Land and agriculture are the state subjects, as per Entry No. 18 of List II (State List)  of the  Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.  Both the Central and State  Governments  undertake  land  acquisition  for  industrial  projects  and  infrastructure development. However,  the Central  Government  has  enacted the Right to Fair Compensation  and  Transparency  in  Land  Acquisition,  Rehabilitation  &  Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, which came into force on 01.01.2014. Under this act, land can be acquired for public purposes. Section 10 of the Act explicitly restricts the acquisition of multi-crop  irrigated  land,  unless  in  exceptional  cases  where  no  alternative  land  is available. In such cases, an equivalent area of culturable wasteland shall be developed for agricultural purposes or an amount equivalent to the value of the land acquired shall be deposited with the appropriate Government for investment in agriculture for enhancing food-security.  The  Act  also,  strongly  discourages  such  conversions  unless  absolutely necessary. Wherever agricultural land is acquired, compensatory mechanisms, including monetary  compensation,  rehabilitation  and  resettlement  benefits,  and  in  some  cases, land for land compensation, are provided to mitigate the impact on farmers.

Department of Land Resources is implementing Watershed Development Component  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (WDC-PMKSY)  which  primarily focuses on development rainfed/ degraded lands. The activities undertaken in the scheme, 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. The measures taken under WDC-PMKSY supplements the effort of the Government to increase the area under cultivation. This scheme has been approved by the Government on 15 th December, 2021.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed several technological measures  to  increase  the  area  under  cultivation.  This  includes  location  specific  bioengineering to check soil erosion due to run-off of rainwater, sand dune stabilization and shelter belt technology to check wind erosion and reclamation technology for problem soils in  the  country.  ICAR  has  also  developed  the  gypsum  technology  package,  consisting  of land  levelling,  bunding,  flushing,  removal  of  excess  water,  good  quality  irrigation  water, application  of  amendments,  selection  of  crops  and  efficient  nutrient  management.  ICAR also recommends several agronomic measures to improve the degraded soils and bringing them under crop cultivation, soil test based balanced and integrated nutrient management through conjunctive use of both inorganic and organic sources (manner, biofertilizers etc.) of  plant  nutrient  and  location  specific  soil  &  water  conservation  measures  for  preventing deterioration of soil health and fertility.

*****