Lok Sabha Question No. 1461 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Sustainable Crop Planning
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Sribharat Mathukumilli

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1461

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 TH  JULY, 2025

## SUSTAINABLE CROP PLANNING

## 1461. SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state: (a) whether  the  Government  has  assessed  structural  overdependence  on  waterintensive crops like paddy and sugarcane in States facing groundwater depletion; (b) whether a district-wise ecological zoning approach has been considered to align crop choices with agro-climatic sustainability and market demand; and (c) whether the Government plans to integrate  MSP incentives, procurement priorities

- and input subsidies to promote sustainable crop diversification?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): The  Dynamic  Ground  Water  Resources  of  the  country  including  water-stressed regions  are  being  assessed  every  year  from  2022  jointly  by  the  Central  Ground  Water Board, Ministry of Jal Shakti and the State Governments. The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)  has  not  carried  out  any  assessment  regarding  structural  overdependence  on
- water-intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane in states facing groundwater depletion. (b): Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  -  Indian  Institute  of  Farming  Systems Research (ICAR-IIFSR),  Modipuram and  ICAR-National Bureau  of Soil Survey and Land Use  Planning,  Nagpur  jointly  prepared  the  agro-ecological  and  district  crop  plan  for  14 major  crops  namely  rice, wheat,  maize,  pearlmillet,  sorghum,  pigeonpea,  chickpea, soybean,  mustard,  groundnut,  cotton,  sugarcane,  potato  and  onion  by  combining  the

Relative Spread Index (RSI), Relative Yield Index (RYI), Sustainable Yield Index (SYI) and Soil-climate suitability index (SCSI).

(c): The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) under the Pradhan Mantri - Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY)  in  the  Original  Green  Revolution  States  viz.,  Haryana,  Punjab  and  western Uttar Pradesh (UP) to divert the area of water intensive paddy crop to alternative crops like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, nutri-cereals, cotton. Under CDP, assistance is given for alternative  crop  demonstration,  farm  mechanization  and  value  addition,  site  specific activities  and  for  awareness, training etc. Further,  Government of India is  also promoting these  crops  under  various  schemes  namely  National  Food  Security  &  Nutrition  Mission (NFSNM) for  pulses,  coarse  cereals,  nutri  cereals  (Shree  Anna)  and  oilseeds  under  the National Mission on Edible Oil (NMEO)-Oilseeds.

The  Government  fixes  minimum  support  prices  (MSPs)  for  22  mandated agricultural  crops  including  coarse  cereals,  pulses,  oilseeds  etc  on  the  basis  of  the recommendations  of  the  commission  for  Agricultural  Costs &  Prices (CACP),  after considering the views of State Governments and Central Ministries/ Departments concerned.

As  per Guidelines of Department  of  Food and Public Distribution on procurement, allocation,  distribution  and  disposal  of  coarse  grains,  States  are  allowed  to procure Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Barley, Ragi and six minor millets from farmers at MSP under central pool subject to the prior approval of Government of India, in consultation with Food Corporation of India (FCI). Procurement of pulses and oilseeds is made at MSP as per the schemes under Pradhan Mantri - Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) scheme of  DA&FW.  The  procurement  of  Notified  Pulses  are  done  under  Price  support  Scheme (PSS) by the Central Nodal Agencies through State designated Agencies during harvesting season.

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