Lok Sabha Question No. 121 (STARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Support to Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Manickam Tagore B, Shri Suresh Kumar Shetkar

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 121

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 TH  JULY, 2025

## SUPPORT TO FARMERS

## *121. SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B: SHRI SURESH KUMAR SHETKAR:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष और िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

(a)  the  details  and  current  status  of  major  agricultural  policies  and  programs  under implementation along with the key challenges in delivering adequate support to farmers;

(b) the details of mechanisms in place to ensure that farmers receive fair market prices for their  produce,  and  the  role  of  the  Government  in  regulating  or  facilitating  the  sale  and marketing of agricultural products;

(c) whether the Ministry procure and distribute essential agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and equipment and if so, the details thereof along with the steps being taken to ensure timely and equitable access for all farmers;

(d)  the  specific  initiatives/support  programs  being  implemented  to  assist  farmers  from December to April as this period is significant in agricultural calendar; and

(e) the role of Ministry in ensuring effective implementation of agricultural programs and the manner in which it is accountable for its support to farmers?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the house.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 121  REGARDING 'SUPPORT TO FARMERS' FOR REPLY ON 29 TH  JULY, 2025.

(a): Government  of  India  supports  the  States  through  appropriate  policy  measures  and budgetary allocation for schemes for farmers welfare. Six sources of income growth of farmers has been identified i.e.  (i)  to  increase  crop  production  (ii)  to  reduce  cost  of  production  (iii)  to increase farmers' income (iv)  Agricultural  diversification  (v)  Adaptation  to  climate  change  for sustainable agriculture  and (vi) Compensation of farmers' losses.

The  Government  has  substantially  enhanced  the  budget  allocation  of  Department  of Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare(DA&FW) from Rs.  21,933.50  crore  BE  during  2013-14  to  Rs. 1,27,290.16 crore BE during 2025-26. The various schemes/ programmes of the Government of India are meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing production, remunerative returns and income support to farmers is annexed .

(b): Government  fixes  Minimum  Support  Prices  (MSPs)  for  mandated  crops  based  on  the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) after considering the  views  of  concerned  State  Governments  and  Central  Ministries/  Departments.  The  Union Budget for 2018-19 had announced to keep MSPs at levels of one and half times of the cost of production.  Accordingly, Government had consistently increased MSPs for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other Commercial crops with a minimum margin of 50 percent over all India weighted average cost of production from the year 2018-19 onwards.

Integrated Scheme of Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) strengthens implementation of MSP and acts as a tool for market price stabilisation. PM-AASHA has components of Price Support Scheme (PSS), Price Deficit Payment Scheme (PDPS) and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS).

PSS is implemented on the request of the State Govt./ UT that agrees to exempt from levy  of  Mandi  tax  on  the  procurement  of  notified  pulses,  oilseeds  and  copra  and  make arrangements  like  booking  of  scientific  storage  facility,  identification  of  procurement  centres, within the stipulated period as and when the market prices of agricultural commodities fall below notified MSP during peak harvesting period. From the procurement year 2024-25, the sanction for the procurement of notified Pulses, Oilseeds and Copra under PSS is given to the States/UTs initially  upto  a  maximum  of  25%  of  the  production  of  the  State  for  that  particular  season. Subsequently, if the State/UT achieves the overall procurement against sanctioned quantity and further intends to procure more beyond the sanctioned quantity, the proposal for the procurement under the PSS is considered upto a maximum of 25% of the national production. In order to incentivize  the  farmers  contributing  in  enhancement  of  domestic  production  of  pulses  and  to reduce the dependence on imports, the Government has allowed the procurement of Tur, Urad and Masur under PSS equivalent to 100% of the estimated production of the State till 2028-29.

PDPS envisages the direct payment of the price difference between the MSP and the selling / modal price in notified market upto 15% of MSP value (including 2% administrative cost) by the Central Government to the pre-registered farmers selling the oilseeds  upto 40% of its production  with  prescribed  Fair  Average  Quality  (FAQ)  in  the  notified  market  yard  through  a transparent  auction  process  within  the  stipulated  period.  However,  the  States/UTs  have  the option to implement either PSS or PDPS for the notified oilseeds for the particular year/season. If any State is willing to cover quantities beyond 40%, it can do so from its resources.

MIS further enhances the diversity by supporting the perishable and horticulture crops that are not covered under above price stabilisation measures. MIS offers both physical as well as price difference payment along with a provision for storage and transportation of TOP (Tomato, Onion and Potato) crops.

This integrated approach leads to the prevention of distress sale by farmers,  ensuring remunerative prices for their produce. It also facilitates the creation of buffer stock to address market volatility. Overall, these measures strengthen farmer confidence in market operations due to the assurance of price support.

(c) to (e): Agriculture is a state subject &  all the  centrally  sponsored  schemes  are implemented  through  States/ UTs  concerned.  For seeds  and  other agricultural inputs, arrangements  are  put  in  place  by  the  State  Governments  as  per  their  Annual  Action  Plan sanctioned for various schemes. The implementation of schemes is continuously reviewed. The evaluation of schemes at the headquarters and field level is a continuous process.

All the schemes/ program of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare are implemented throughout the year.

The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan was organized from 29th May-12th June 2025 across the country as pre-Kharif campaign with the objectives to create awareness regarding improved agricultural technologies , various schemes and policies of Government and also to document farmer-led  innovations  and  feedback  of  farmers.  During  the  campaign,  2,170  teams  of  multidisciplinary scientists directly interacted with more than 1.35 crore farmers by organizing about 61  thousand  programs  in  728  districts.  Awareness  was  created  about  improved  agricultural technologies for Kharif season, various challenges of the modern agriculture system, promotion of use of advance machines, tools and gadgets and quality inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, seed, etc.) among the farmers. During the campaign, 300 farmer-led innovations, 70 policy issues and 500 researchable issues were documented to promote demand driven research.

## Major schemes/ programmes under implementation by DA&FW

1.  Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
2.  Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
3.  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)/  Restructured  Weather  Based  Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
4.  Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
5.  Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
6.  Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs)
7.  National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
8.  Namo Drone Didi
9.  National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
10.  Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
11.  Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises' (AgriSURE)
12.  Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
13.  Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
14.  Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
15.  Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)
16.  Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
17.  Agroforestry
18.  Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)
19.  Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
20.  Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
21.  National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)
22.  Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
23.  Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
24.  National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm
25.  National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds
26.  Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region
27.  Digital Agriculture Mission
28.  National Bamboo Mission

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