Lok Sabha Question No. 233 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-05
Subject: Agriculture University in Bihar
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Vijay Kumar

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 233

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY IN BIHAR

## 233.   SHRI VIJAY KUMAR:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has made any scheme/plan to establish agriculture university in Gaya Parliamentary Constituency in the State of Bihar;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether any scheme is being implemented by the Government to provide fair price to the farmers for their produce in the State of Bihar;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the details of drought affected districts of the State of Bihar and the schemes run for the farmers of these drought affected districts, district-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) & (b): At present, there is no such proposal.

(c) & (d): Each  year,  the  Government  fixes  Minimum  Support  Price  (MSP)  of  22 mandated agricultural crops viz paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, tur (arhar), moong, urad, groundnut, soyabean,  sunflower, sesamum,  nigerseed,  cotton, wheat, barley, gram, masur(lentil), rapeseed/mustard, safflower, jute and copra on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce.

Moreover, Government in its Union Budget for 2018-19 had made an announcement to keep MSP at a level of one and half times of the cost of production as a pre-determined principle.

Government also implements an umbrella Scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan' (PM-AASHA) to provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers for their  produce  of  notified  oilseeds,  pulses  &  copra.  PM-AASHA  comprises  Price  Support Scheme (PSS), Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) and Private Procurement and Stockist Scheme (PPSS). Under this scheme, State Governments/UTs including Bihar are offered  to  choose  either  PSS  or  PDPS  in  a  given  procurement  season  with  respect  to particular oilseeds crop for the entire State. The pulses and copra are procured under PSS. Only one scheme i.e. PSS or PDPS is made operational in one State with respect to one commodity.  Further, State Governments/UT have the option to roll out Private Procurement and Stockist Scheme (PPSS) on pilot basis in district / selected APMC(s) of district involving the participation of private stockist for oilseeds.

Besides,  Government  also  implements  Market  Intervention  Scheme  (MIS)  for procurement of agricultural and horticultural commodities which are perishable in nature and for which MSP is not announced. The objective of intervention is to protect the growers of these commodities from making distress sale in the event of a bumper crop during the peak arrival period when the prices tend to fall below economic level / cost of production.

(e): The primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the State Governments. The State Governments provide financial relief to the affected people in the wake of notified disasters including Drought from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), already placed at their disposal.  However, in the event of a disaster of a severe nature, additional financial assistance is extended from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), as per the laid down procedure, which includes an assessment based on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).

During  the  current  year,  the  Government  has  not  received  any  Memorandum  for financial assistance from NDRF/ Bihar Government in the wake of drought, so far.

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