Lok Sabha Question No. 446 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-26
Subject: New Crop Varieties
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.446

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  26 TH  APRIL, 2016

## NEW CROP VARIETIES

## 446.   SHRIMATI KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं किसान िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  promote  the  interests  of  the tribal and hill farmers of the Western Himalayas and Islands of Andaman and Nicobar which have unique ecosystems;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the research institutes in the country have developed new crop varieties and  released  them  for  commercial  cultivation  in  the  said  regions  during  the  last  two years; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं किसान िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ Àã·¾ã ½ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIYA )

- (a) & (b): Yes, Madam. The Government has taken adequate steps to promote the interests of the tribal and hill farmers of the Western-Himalayas and Island of Andaman and Nicobar.

Major  schemes/missions  being  implemented  elsewhere  in  India,  viz.    National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Sub-mission  on  Agriculture  Extension  (SMAE),  Mission  for  Integrated  for  Horticulture (MIDH), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) are also being implemented in the hilly regions of the Western-Himalayas.

In  Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) Islands, a Central Scheme, namely, High Value Agriculture  (HVA)  is  being  implemented.    Other  programmes  in  the  UT  include development programmes of Coconut Development Board, National Horticulture Board, Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (National Horticulture Mission).

Under  these  schemes,  various  activities are undertaken  for  promotion  of Horticulture and Agriculture Crops.  The various components of the schemes are area expansion  of  horticulture/agriculture  crops,  protected  cultivation,  adoption  of  organic farming,  integrated  nutrient  management,  integrated  pest  management,  creation  of water  resources,  human  resource  development,  setting  up  of  new  tissue  culture  unit and centre for excellence for Horticulture.

In  A&N Island,  the  islands  like  Smith  Island,  Long  Island,  Havelock  Island  are being covered by crops like paddy, red oil palm, arecanut, coconut, spices, cashew, and aromatic plants.

(c) & (d): National Agricultural Research System (NARS) comprising Indian Council of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  and  State  Agricultural  Universities  (SAUs)  has  been actively  involved  in  crop  improvement  programme  and  new  crop  varieties  are  being developed constantly.  Concerted efforts have led to development of 36 high yielding crop  verities/hybrids  for  the  tribal  and  hill  farmers  of  Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh during the last  two years  (2014-15).    They  consist  of  cereals (21), oil seeds (5), pulses (8) and forage crops(2).

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