Lok Sabha Question No. 1506 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-12
Subject: New Agricultural Schemes
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Nalin Kumar Kateel, D.K. Suresh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1506

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 th  DECEMBER, 2023

## NEW AGRICULTURAL SCHEMES

1506. SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL: SHRI D.K. SURESH:

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

- (a) the total number of new initiatives/schemes/ programs to benefit farmers launched by the Government for the last five years;
- (b)  whether the Government has reviewed the performance of implemented schemes and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether the Government proposes to remove obstacles hindering the progress of the scheme; and
- (d)  if so, the response of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

(a)  Details of new initiatives/schemes/ programs launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for the welfare of farmers during recent years are given in the Annexure.

(b)  to  (d):  An  evaluation  of  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  in  Agriculture,  Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors was done by Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog in 2020. The report finds the Centrally Sponsored Schemes implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare highly relevant for the development  of  agriculture  sector  as  well  as  welfare  of  farmers  of  the  nation  and therefore,  recommended  for  its  continuation.  Implementation  of  these  schemes  is closely monitored and reviewed at higher level on a regular basis, and the government engages in continuous consultations with all relevant stakeholders in order to ensure that any challenges or hindrances are promptly identified, and appropriate remedial actions are taken in a timely manner.

Annexure A brief of major schemes/initiatives launched by the Department of Agriculture

## and Farmers Welfare in recent years

|   Sl No. | Scheme/ Initiatives                             | Brief description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM- KISAN)   | PM-KISAN is a central sector scheme launched on 24th February 2019 to supplement financial needs of land holding farmers, subject to exclusions. Under the scheme, financial benefit of Rs. 6000/- per year is transferred in three equal four-monthly installments into the bank accounts of farmers' families across the country, through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode. Till now, Rs. 2.81 lakh crores have been transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to more than 11 crores beneficiaries (Farmers) through various instalments.                           |
|        2 | Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM- KMY) | In order to provide financial support and security to the most vulnerable farmer families, Government launched Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana w.e.f. 12.09.2019 to provide pension benefits to small and marginal farmers. PM KMY is meant for Small and Marginal Farmers falling in the entry age between 18 to 40 years having cultivable land up to 2 hectares The scheme seeks to provide Rs 3,000/- monthly pension to the Small and Marginal Farmers once they attain 60 years of age. As of now total number of farmers enrolled under the scheme is 23.38 Lakhs. . |

|   3. | Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)                                     | PMFBY was launched in 2016 in order to provide a simple and affordable crop insurance product to ensure comprehensive risk cover for crops to farmers against all non-preventable natural risks from pre-sowing to post-harvest and to provide adequate claim amount. The scheme is demand driven and available for all farmers A total of 5549.40 lakh farmer applications were insured under the scheme since 2016-17. Total Rs 150589.10 crore has been paid as claim.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    4 | Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) & Kisan Credit Credit Card Saturation Drive | The Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) provides concessional short term agri-loans to the farmers practicing crop husbandry and other allied activities like animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries. ISS is available to farmers availing short term crop loans upto Rs.3.00 lakh at an interest rate of 7% per annum for one year. Additional 3% subvention is also given to the farmers for prompt and timely repayment of loans thus reducing the effective rate of interest to 4% per annum. The benefit of ISS is also available for post-harvest loans against Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (NWRs) on crop loans for a further period of six months post-harvest to small and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs), on occurrence of natural calamities and severe natural calamities. Under KCC saturation drive announced in 2020. As on 20-10-2023, 482.73 lakh new KCC applications have been sanctioned with a sanctioned credit limit of Rs. 5,47,819 crore as part of the drive. |

|   5. | Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)   | The Government of India has launched the Central Sector Scheme (CSS) for 'Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)' in the year 2020. Formation & promotion of FPOs are to be done through Implementing Agencies (IAs), which further engage Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) to form & provide professional handholding support to FPOs for a period of 05 years including preparation and execution of business plan for the concerned FPOsfor ensuring better marketing opportunities & market linkages on sustainable basis. As on 31.10.2023, total 7476 FPOs were registered under the scheme in the country.   |
|------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    6 | Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)                                    | In order to address the existing infrastructure gaps and mobilize investment in agriculture infrastructure, Rs 1 lakh crore Agri Infra Fund was launched under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan in 2020. The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund is a medium - long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee support. As on 17-11-2023, Rs.32,042 Crores have been sanctioned for 42,447 projects under AIF, out of this total sanctioned amount, Rs 25,504 Crores is covered under scheme benefits. These sanctioned     |

|    |                                                   | projects have mobilized an investment of Rs 54,487 Crores in agriculture sector.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|----|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  7 | National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) | A new Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely, National Mission on Edible Oil (NMEO)-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) has been launched by Government of India to promote oil palm cultivation for making the country Aatamnirbhar in edible oils with special focus on North-Eastern States and A&N Islands. The Mission will bring additional area of 6.5 lakh ha under Oil Palm plantation with 3.28 lakh ha in north- eastern states and 3.22 in Rest of India in next 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26. |
|  8 | National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM)        | Keeping in view the importance of beekeeping, a new Central Sector Scheme entitled National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM) was launched in 2020 under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan for its implementation in the field for overall promotion and development of scientific beekeeping & to achieve the goal of 'Sweet Revolution'.                                                                                                                                                    |
|  9 | National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)        | Government is promoting Natural Farming since 2019-20 through a sub-scheme 'Bhartiya Prakratik Krishi Paddhati - (BPKP)' under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY). Under BPKP, 4.09 lakh ha area has been covered in 8 states+                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |

|   10. | Minimum Support Price (MSP)   | The Govt. adopted the new MSP policy in 2018 based on recommendation of MS Swaminathan Commission. Government has increased the MSP for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent over all India weighted average cost of production from 2018-19. MSP for Paddy (common) has increased to Rs. 2183 per quintal in 2023-24 from Rs. 1310 per quintal in 2013-14. MSP for Wheat increased from Rs. 1400 per quintal in 2013-14 to Rs. 2125 per quintal in 2022-23.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-------|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    11 | International Year of Millets | Since the declaration of the International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 by the UNGA in 2021, Government has taken a proactive multi stakeholder engagement approach to achieve the aim of IYM 2023 and taking Indian millets globally. In order to investigate the gaps and challenges across the millets value chain and implementation of suitable solutions, 6 task forces were constituted. Also, 25 seed-hubs have been established to ensure availability of quality seed of latest improved varieties of Nutri cereals in the country. Millet missions have been launched across 13 states including Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. More than 500 start-ups and 350 FPOs have been established and are operational in the millet ecosystem as of now. |

|   12. | Promotion of Drone Technology in Agriculture   | Looking into the unique advantages of drone technologies in agriculture, a Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) has been released. In order to make this technology affordable to the farmers and other stakeholders of this sector, financial assistance @100 %cost of drone together with the contingent expenditure is provided for its demonstration on the farmers' fields. So far an amount of Rs. 138.82 crores have been released towards Kisan drone promotion.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------|------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    13 | Namo Drone Didi                                | The Government has recently approved a Central Sector Scheme for providing drones to the Women Self Help Group (SHGs) for the period from 2024- 25 to 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crores. The scheme aims to provide drones to 14500 selected Women Self Help Group (SHGs) for providing rental services to farmers for agriculture purpose (application of fertilizers and pesticides). Under this Scheme, Central Financial Assistance@ 80% of the cost of drone and accessories/ancillary charges upto a maximum of Rs. 8.0 Lakhs will be provided to the women SHGs for purchase of drones. The Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) of SHGs may raise the balance amount (total cost of procurement minus subsidy) as loan under National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility (AIF). Interest subvention @ 3% on the AIF loan will be provided to the CLFs. The Scheme will help in infusing advance technology in agriculture for improved efficiency, enhanced crop yield and reduced cost of |

|    |               | operation for the benefits of farmers. The scheme will also provide sustainable business and livelihood support to SHGs and they would be able to earn additional income of at least of Rs. 1.0 lakh per annum.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----|---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 14 | Agri Startups | Under RKVY Agri-startup Programme, since 2019- 20, 1259 Start-ups have been selected and Rs. 83.67 crore released as grants-in-aid for funding these Start-ups.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 15 | Agristack     | It is a federated architecture for better planning, monitoring, policy making, strategy formulation and smooth implementation of schemes. AgriStack architecture has the following foundational layers: -  Core registries  Base databases  Farmers Database: Farmers ID linked with land records  Geo-referencing of plots  Crop Survey, Crop planning and  Soil Mapping, Soil Fertility  Unified Farmers Service Interface for state.  Data Exchange |

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