Lok Sabha Question No. 2599 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Agricultural Data
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2599

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 ND  AUGUST, 2016

## AGRICULTURAL DATA

## 2599.      SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) the  action  taken  by  the  Union  Government  in  consultation  with  State  Governments  to obtain accurate data for production of various crops and agricultural commodities in the country;
- (b) whether based on such data, the Government is preparing various financial policies and if  so, the details thereof and the manner in which the Union Government is getting such data; and
- (c) whether the Union Government intends to modify the existing agricultural data system in the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  S.S. AHLUWALIA)

- (a) & (b): The  responsibility  of  collection,  compilation  and  supply  of  crop-wise  data  on  area, production  and  yield  rests  with  States/UTs  Governments.  For  this  purpose,  the  States/UTs  have designated the Department of Agriculture or Revenue or Directorate of Economics & Statistics as State Agricultural Statistics Authority (SASA).  However, to ensure timely reporting of requisite data, the Government of India has been providing financial support to States/UTs under the Improvement of Agricultural Statistics (IAS) Scheme. In order to ensure quality in the data/estimates prepared by States/UTs, under the Improvement of Crops Statistics (ICS) component of above scheme, financial support  is  provided  to  States/UTs  for  sample  check  on  area  enumeration  and  crop  cutting experiments used for assessment of yield.

In  order  to  maintain  quality  and  stability  in  the  national  level  estimates,  the  data  on  area, production  and  yield  received  from  State  Governments  are  also  validated  in  the  Directorate  of Economics  &  Statistics,  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  based  upon  the  alternative sources of information e.g. the estimates prepared by Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC) on the basis of remote sensing technology,  the estimates of Institute of Economic Growth prepared  through  econometric  modeling,  State-wise  past  trends  in  area,  production  and  yield  of different crops, trends in procurement and prices, weather rainfall conditions etc.

Besides  compilation  of  Gross  Value  Added  (GVA)  of  agriculture  and  allied  sectors,  the estimates  of agricultural  production  are  also used  for important  policy  decisions regarding import/export,  procurement,  storage,  public  distribution,  transportation,  investment  planning  in agriculture etc.

- (c): The present system of collection of data and preparation of agricultural estimates is based on an  internationally  accepted,  sound  and  robust  statistical  methodology.  As  such,  presently  the Government does not intend to modify the existing system of preparation of agricultural estimates in the country.

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