Lok Sabha Question No. 324 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-01
Subject: National Policy for Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, SANTOSH AHLAWAT

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 324

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 ST  DECEMBER, 2015

## NATIONAL POLICY FOR FARMERS

324. SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB: SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARSWATI: SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE: SHRIMATI SANTOSH AHLAWAT:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Supreme Court has asked the Government to review the National Policy for Farmers to address the agrarian crisis forcing distressed cultivators to end their lives in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether the Union Government has extended any support to the State Government for the  development  of  agriculture  and  mitigation  of  the  effects  of  agrarian  crisis  in  the  country during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (d) if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) the extent to which the aims and objectives of Sub-Mission on Agricultural mechanisation  (SMAM)  has  achieved  in  the  country  along  with  the  funds  provided  to  the States thereunder during the said period; and
- (f) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government in this direction?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्राऱय में राज्य मंत्री (SHRI  MOHANBHAI  KUNDARIA)

- (a) & (b): No, Madam. The Court wanted to ascertain from the Department whether it is necessary to revisit the Policy, which is now almost 8 years old.  This Department has initiated action to revisit the existing policy.
- (c) & (d): The  State  Governments  are  primarily  responsible  for  development  of  the agriculture  sector.  However,  the  Government  of  India  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  States through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support. Various programmes/ schemes/missions  for  the  development  of  agriculture  sector  are  being  implemented  in  a decentralized  manner  with  flexibility  to  State  Governments  to  formulate  and  implement appropriate projects to suit their specific requirements. Some of the important schemes/programmes implemented are National Food Security Mission (NFSM); Mission for Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture (MIDH);   National   Mission  on Oilseeds &  Oil  Palm

(NMOOP);  National  Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA);  National Mission on Agricultural Extension &Technology (NMAET);   National Crop Insurance Programme (NCIP); Unified  National  Agricultural  Markets;  Soil  Health  Card  (SHC);  Neem  Coated  Urea  (NCU); Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY); Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY); and  Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).  The State-wise allocation during each of the last three years and the current year under the various schemes/programmes is at Annexure I.

The  agricultural  crisis  tends  to  get  visible    during  times  of  natural  calamities  like drought, pest attack, hailstorm, etc.  For undertaking relief measures funds are available with the State Government in the form of State Disaster Response Fund. Over and above this, the Union Government is also supporting the States through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) in wake of natural calamities. The funds released during the last 3 years and current year is as follows:

| Year    | Central Assistance under NDRF   |
|---------|---------------------------------|
| 2012-13 | Rs. 4464.64 Crore               |
| 2013-14 | Rs. 2854.19 Crore               |
| 2014-15 | Rs. 9017.99 Crore               |
| 2015-16 | Rs. 1540.20 Crore (till date)   |

In  addition  to  this,  the  Government  also  announces  special  packages,  such  as  PM's Rehabilitation  Package for suicide prone districts in  various States,  Agriculture  Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme 2008, Special Package to mitigate the hardships faced by farmers in Kerala,  Drought  mitigation  in  Bundelkhand  and  Vidarbha  Intensive  Irrigation  Development Programme.

(e): The extent of achievements made and funds allocated/released under Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) during 2014-15 and 2015-16 are at Annexures II & III.

(f): Other  measures  taken  for  the  benefit  of  the  farmers  include  enhancement  in  the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) to eliminate distress sale of agricultural produce by farmers, support  to  the  farmers  from  time  to  time  like  debt  waiver/relief,  interest  subvention  on  crop loans, revival package for strengthening Short Term Rural Cooperative Credit Structure, etc.

Annexure-I

| Details of State-wise funds allocated on various Schemes being implemented by Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare during 2012-13 to 2015-16   | Details of State-wise funds allocated on various Schemes being implemented by Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare during 2012-13 to 2015-16   | Details of State-wise funds allocated on various Schemes being implemented by Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare during 2012-13 to 2015-16   | Details of State-wise funds allocated on various Schemes being implemented by Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare during 2012-13 to 2015-16   | Details of State-wise funds allocated on various Schemes being implemented by Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare during 2012-13 to 2015-16   | Details of State-wise funds allocated on various Schemes being implemented by Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare during 2012-13 to 2015-16   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl.                                                                                                                                                                 | Name of the State                                                                                                                                                   | 2012-13                                                                                                                                                             | 2013-14                                                                                                                                                             | Year 2014-15                                                                                                                                                        | 2015-16                                                                                                                                                             |
| 1                                                                                                                                                                   | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                                      | 1287.76                                                                                                                                                             | 1212.47                                                                                                                                                             | 680.49                                                                                                                                                              | 462.25                                                                                                                                                              |
| 2                                                                                                                                                                   | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                   | 141.99                                                                                                                                                              | 124.62                                                                                                                                                              | 129.06                                                                                                                                                              | 79.21                                                                                                                                                               |
| 3                                                                                                                                                                   | Assam                                                                                                                                                               | 522.90                                                                                                                                                              | 632.69                                                                                                                                                              | 692.76                                                                                                                                                              | 371.81                                                                                                                                                              |
| 4                                                                                                                                                                   | Bihar                                                                                                                                                               | 1057.31                                                                                                                                                             | 785.74                                                                                                                                                              | 791.76                                                                                                                                                              | 452.52                                                                                                                                                              |
| 5                                                                                                                                                                   | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                                        | 852.29                                                                                                                                                              | 695.53                                                                                                                                                              | 664.23                                                                                                                                                              | 367.97                                                                                                                                                              |
| 6                                                                                                                                                                   | Goa                                                                                                                                                                 | 68.95                                                                                                                                                               | 28.86                                                                                                                                                               | 32.86                                                                                                                                                               | 12.63                                                                                                                                                               |
| 7                                                                                                                                                                   | Gujarat                                                                                                                                                             | 1009.90                                                                                                                                                             | 995.36                                                                                                                                                              | 1005.96                                                                                                                                                             | 556.18                                                                                                                                                              |
| 8                                                                                                                                                                   | Haryana                                                                                                                                                             | 419.32                                                                                                                                                              | 542.17                                                                                                                                                              | 582.86                                                                                                                                                              | 287.95                                                                                                                                                              |
| 9                                                                                                                                                                   | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                    | 160.66                                                                                                                                                              | 143.13                                                                                                                                                              | 174.19                                                                                                                                                              | 92.88                                                                                                                                                               |
| 10                                                                                                                                                                  | Jammu &Kashmir                                                                                                                                                      | 220.45                                                                                                                                                              | 224.24                                                                                                                                                              | 256.56                                                                                                                                                              | 163.48                                                                                                                                                              |
| 11                                                                                                                                                                  | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                                           | 404.48                                                                                                                                                              | 468.71                                                                                                                                                              | 466.85                                                                                                                                                              | 238.44                                                                                                                                                              |
| 12                                                                                                                                                                  | Karnataka                                                                                                                                                           | 1065.70                                                                                                                                                             | 1283.82                                                                                                                                                             | 1362.34                                                                                                                                                             | 708.09                                                                                                                                                              |
| 13                                                                                                                                                                  | Kerala                                                                                                                                                              | 384.10                                                                                                                                                              | 380.84                                                                                                                                                              | 438.71                                                                                                                                                              | 186.61                                                                                                                                                              |
| 14                                                                                                                                                                  | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                                      | 1045.91                                                                                                                                                             | 1212.72                                                                                                                                                             | 1204.22                                                                                                                                                             | 710.23                                                                                                                                                              |
| 15                                                                                                                                                                  | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                         | 1820.03                                                                                                                                                             | 1914.13                                                                                                                                                             | 1848.80                                                                                                                                                             | 950.61                                                                                                                                                              |
| 16                                                                                                                                                                  | Manipur                                                                                                                                                             | 160.16                                                                                                                                                              | 142.03                                                                                                                                                              | 134.86                                                                                                                                                              | 92.06                                                                                                                                                               |
| 17                                                                                                                                                                  | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                                           | 184.94                                                                                                                                                              | 123.29                                                                                                                                                              | 132.11                                                                                                                                                              | 74.63                                                                                                                                                               |
| 18                                                                                                                                                                  | Mizoram                                                                                                                                                             | 293.89                                                                                                                                                              | 222.51                                                                                                                                                              | 210.44                                                                                                                                                              | 114.79                                                                                                                                                              |
| 19                                                                                                                                                                  | Nagaland                                                                                                                                                            | 193.81                                                                                                                                                              | 151.93                                                                                                                                                              | 157.35                                                                                                                                                              | 101.81                                                                                                                                                              |
| 20                                                                                                                                                                  | Odisha                                                                                                                                                              | 736.82                                                                                                                                                              | 748.17                                                                                                                                                              | 762.49                                                                                                                                                              | 407.37                                                                                                                                                              |
| 21                                                                                                                                                                  | Punjab                                                                                                                                                              | 346.24                                                                                                                                                              | 613.19                                                                                                                                                              | 662.11                                                                                                                                                              | 287.37                                                                                                                                                              |
| 22                                                                                                                                                                  | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                                           | 874.48                                                                                                                                                              | 1258.63                                                                                                                                                             | 1035.69                                                                                                                                                             | 738.11                                                                                                                                                              |
| 23                                                                                                                                                                  | Sikkim                                                                                                                                                              | 107.89                                                                                                                                                              | 80.12                                                                                                                                                               | 358.13                                                                                                                                                              | 66.51                                                                                                                                                               |
| 24                                                                                                                                                                  | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                                          | 945.79                                                                                                                                                              | 602.02                                                                                                                                                              | 628.26                                                                                                                                                              | 380.17                                                                                                                                                              |
| 25                                                                                                                                                                  | Telangana                                                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                     | 450.21                                                                                                                                                              | 307.83                                                                                                                                                              |
| 26                                                                                                                                                                  | Tripura                                                                                                                                                             | 155.07                                                                                                                                                              | 168.09                                                                                                                                                              | 186.89                                                                                                                                                              | 94.87                                                                                                                                                               |
| 27                                                                                                                                                                  | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                                       | 1030.64                                                                                                                                                             | 1278.55                                                                                                                                                             | 1244.36                                                                                                                                                             | 660.89                                                                                                                                                              |
| 28                                                                                                                                                                  | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                                         | 129.75                                                                                                                                                              | 159.42                                                                                                                                                              | 177.73                                                                                                                                                              | 98.66                                                                                                                                                               |
| 29                                                                                                                                                                  | West Bengal                                                                                                                                                         | 647.76                                                                                                                                                              | 671.32                                                                                                                                                              | 759.40                                                                                                                                                              | 368.43                                                                                                                                                              |
| 30                                                                                                                                                                  | Delhi                                                                                                                                                               | 3.09                                                                                                                                                                | 0.88                                                                                                                                                                | 2.71                                                                                                                                                                | 1.71                                                                                                                                                                |
| 31                                                                                                                                                                  | Puducherry                                                                                                                                                          | 2.34                                                                                                                                                                | 2.09                                                                                                                                                                | 2.85                                                                                                                                                                | 3.34                                                                                                                                                                |
| 32                                                                                                                                                                  | A &NIslands                                                                                                                                                         | 0.81                                                                                                                                                                | 5.00                                                                                                                                                                | 5.95                                                                                                                                                                | 8.12                                                                                                                                                                |
| 33                                                                                                                                                                  | Lakshadweep                                                                                                                                                         | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                | 0.85                                                                                                                                                                | 1.00                                                                                                                                                                | 2.07                                                                                                                                                                |
| 34                                                                                                                                                                  | Dadra &Nagar Haveli                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                | 0.85                                                                                                                                                                | 1.11                                                                                                                                                                | 2.09                                                                                                                                                                |
| 35                                                                                                                                                                  | Chandigarh                                                                                                                                                          | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                | 1.11                                                                                                                                                                | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                | 1.00                                                                                                                                                                |
| 36                                                                                                                                                                  | Daman &Diu                                                                                                                                                          | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                | 1.07                                                                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                                                                     | Total                                                                                                                                                               | 16272.58                                                                                                                                                            | 16875.08                                                                                                                                                            | 17245.31                                                                                                                                                            | 9453.76                                                                                                                                                             |

## Annexure-II under Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization during

## Achievements 2014-15 and 2015-16 :

| Year     |   Demonstration of Farm Machinery, (hectare) |   Trainee trained (Nos) |   Agricultural Machinery distributed (Nos). |   No. of Customs Hiring Centers/ Farm Machinery Banks /Hi-tech Hub established |
|----------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2014-15  |                                         3224 |                    6643 |                                       66249 |                                                                           1089 |
| 2015-16* |                                         6512 |                    3005 |                                       26174 |                                                                            293 |

*Reported till 31.8.2015

## Allocation of Funds under Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization during 2014-15 and 2015-16 :

| SMAM              | SMAM       | SMAM     | SMAM       | SMAM     |
|-------------------|------------|----------|------------|----------|
|                   | 2014-15    | 2014-15  |            |          |
| State             | Allocation | Utilized | Allocation | RELEASED |
| Andhra Pradesh    | 1075.9     | 1053.57  | 758.47     | 727.8    |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 48.58      | 48.58    | 188.32     | 188      |
| Assam             | 691.95     | 562.06   | 692        | 0        |
| Bihar             | 981.04     | 900.8    | 691.59     | 0        |
| Chhattisgarh      | 567.82     | 518.53   | 400.29     | 328.06   |
| Goa               | 13.174     | 0        | 9.29       | 0        |
| Gujarat           | 1028.8     | 794.38   | 725.24     | 0        |
| Haryana           | 300.21     | 255.21   | 211.63     | 0        |
| Himachal Pradesh` | 110.58     | 101.59   | 77.95      | 74.82    |
| Jammu & Kashmir   | 140.41     | 118.41   | 98.99      | 0        |
| Jharkhand         | 399.17     | 357.76   | 281.4      | 253.78   |
| Karnataka         | 1305.7     | 961.78   | 920.48     | 0        |
| Kerala            | 272.68     | 237.13   | 192.23     | 0        |
| Madhya Pradesh    | 1599.2     | 1392.04  | 1127.4     | 1118.4   |
| Maharashtra       | 2264.2     | 2033.71  | 1596.2     | 1596.02  |
| Manipur           | 49.98      | 110.13   | 191.11     | 190.54   |
| Meghalaya         | 56.07      | 125.14   | 202.93     | 0        |
| Mizoram           | 138.1      | 49.79    | 362.67     | 202.93   |
| Nagaland          | 67.91      | 61.5     | 225.93     | 184.9    |
| Orissa            | 818.02     | 708.94   | 576.67     | 566.57   |
| Punjab            | 264.63     | 209.45   | 186.56     | 0        |
| Rajasthan         | 1760.9     | 1579.93  | 1241.4     | 0        |
| Sikkim            | 18.25      | 18.52    | 129.83     | 65.39    |
| Tamil Nadu        | 937.89     | 843.75   | 661.18     | 661      |
| Telengana         | 83.89      | 692.87   | 257.21     | 476.19   |
| Tripura           | 779.11     | 39.46    | 257.21     | 243.88   |
| Uttar Pradesh     | 2426.1     | 2121.35  | 1710.3     | 0        |
| Uttarakhand       | 113.08     | 90.56    | 79.72      | 78.44    |
| West Bengal       | 880.12     | 597.77   | 620.45     | 565.21   |
| TOTAL             | 19193.464  | 16584.71 | 14674.65   | 7521.93  |

********