Lok Sabha Question No. 2593 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-05
Subject: Decline in the Acreage of Agricultural Land
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2593

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 05 TH  AUGUST, 2025

## DECLINE IN THE ACREAGE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND

2593. SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL:

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

- (a) whether the Government acknowledges the ongoing decline in the acreage of land employed for agriculture across several States in the country particularly Punjab; (b) the  details  of  Factors  identified  by  the  Government  as  contributing  to  this reduction, such as urbanization, land fragmentation and lack of effective land consolidation policies; (c) the  details  of  specific  steps  that  the  Government  have  taken  to  prevent  further diversion  of agriculture  land  for non  agricultural  purposes  and the  way  by  which these measures are effective in reversing the trend; and the details of the steps that the Government intends to adopt to prevent misuse of
- (d) rural agriculture land in the name of drastic urbanization?

## 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' , despite marginal decline in cultivable/agricultural land, the Net Sown Area has remained relatively  stable  over  the  years.  Further,  the  Gross  Cropped  Area  has  expanded significantly,  rising  from  201.3  million  hectares  in  2013-14  to  217.8  million  hectares  in 2023-24. Implementation of various government initiatives and technological advancements  have  contributed  to  a  continuous  rise  in  cropping  intensity.  Cropping intensity increased from 142.5% in 2013-14 to 156.8% in 2023-24, reflecting a positive shift toward multiple cropping practices, highlighting farmers' enhanced ability to cultivate the  same  land  more  than  once  annually.  Additionally,  food  grain  production  has  risen significantly, from 246.42 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 353.96 million tonnes in 2024-25 (third  advanced  estimates).  Horticulture  production  has  also  increased  from  280.70 million  tonnes  in  2013-14  to  367.72  million  tonnes  in  2024-25  (second  advanced estimates).

(c) & (d): 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, land falls under the jurisdiction of State Governments, which are responsible for taking appropriate measures to increase the area  under  cultivation  and  prevent  the  diversion  of  agricultural  land  for  non-agricultural purposes.  However,  the  Government  of  India  supports  these  efforts  through  policy initiatives and budgetary assistance.

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.

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, equivalent wasteland must be developed for agriculture. Data on conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes is maintained at the State level, as land is a State subject under  the  Constitution.  However,  the  RFCTLARR  Act,  2013,  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.

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