Lok Sabha Question No. 1897 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-14
Subject: Free Electricity to Farmers
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Sunil Dattatray Tatkare

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1897

## ANSWERED ON 14.12.2023

## FREE ELECTRICITY TO FARMERS

1897. SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that there is a long pending demand of farmers for free power to run agricultural irrigation pump set;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether it is also a fact that a large part of agriculture land is still not having the facility of canal irrigation;
- (d) if  so,  whether the Government proposes to provide free electricity to those regions which are not irrigated with canals; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI R.K. SINGH)

- (a)  &  (b)  :    The  State  Governments  are  free  to  grant  any  subsidy,  to  any consumer  or  class  of  consumers  including  farmers  provided  the  State Governments pay for the cost of electricity to the Distribution Companies so that they can procure electricity from the generating companies  for distribution.
- (c) to (e) : As  per  the  'Agriculture  Statistics  at  a  Glance  -  2022',  out  of 64567 thousand hectares of area irrigated by different sources of irrigation in the country,  16908  thousand  hectares  of  area  is irrigated  by  canals (Annexure).  Government  of  India  had  launched  'Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)'    in    Financial   Year  2015-16  with   an  aim to    enhance    physical

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access of water on farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, to  improve    farm    water    use    efficiency,    introduce  sustainable    water conservation  practices  etc. Har  Khet  Ko  Pani  (HKKP)  is  one  of  the component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). The scheme of Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) and Repair, Renovation & Restoration (RRR) of  Water  Bodies  has  now  become  a  part  of  PMKSY-HKKP.  Ministry  of  Jal Shakti provides Central Assistance (CA) to States for creation and restoration  of  Irrigation  Potential  (I.P.)  under  the  SMI  and  RRR  of  Water Bodies schemes. The continuation of PMKSY-HKKP for the FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26  has  been  approved  with  a  budget  outlay  of  Rs.  4580  crore  and targeted  irrigation  potential  of  4.50  lakh  hectare  through  SMI  and  RRR  of Water Bodies schemes.

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ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (c) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1897 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 14.12.2023 **************

Area Irrigated by different Source of Irrigation by Size Classes

(Figures in '000 Hectare)

|   Sl. No. | Size Class   |   Canals |   Tanks |   Wells |   Tubewells |   Others |   Total |
|-----------|--------------|----------|---------|---------|-------------|----------|---------|
|         1 | Marginal     |     4783 |     912 |    2262 |        7818 |     1060 |   16835 |
|         2 | Small        |     3562 |     558 |    2891 |        6232 |     1021 |   14263 |
|         3 | Semi-medium  |     3686 |     433 |    3219 |        6629 |     1028 |   14995 |
|         4 | Medium       |     3441 |     259 |    2728 |        6001 |      836 |   13266 |
|         5 | Large        |     1436 |      86 |     817 |        2485 |      384 |    5209 |
|         6 | Total        |    16908 |    2248 |   11917 |       29165 |     4329 |   64567 |

Source  :  Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  (Agriculture  Census 2010-11)

Note: The information on area irrigated by different sources is not collected in the latest Agriculture Census 2015-16.  Thus, the above figures are as per Agriculture Census 2010-11

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