Lok Sabha Question No. 457 (STARRED), answered on 2026-03-24
Subject: Impact of Irregular Rainfall on Farmer's Income
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Bajrang Manohar Sonwane

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 457

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 TH  MARCH, 2026

## IMPACT OF IRREGULAR RAINFALL ON FARMER'S INCOME

*457. SHRI BAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE:

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

(a) whether  the  income  of  farmers  is  being  adversely  affected  due  to  irregular  rainfall, receding  groundwater  levels  and  limited  irrigation  resources  in the Beed  district  of Maharashtra and optimum capacity of agricultural production is not being achieved;

(b) if so, the details of the schemes currently being implemented by the Union Government to  increase  income  of  farmers,  mitigate  drought  effects  and  make  modern  agricultural technology available to them;

(c)whether  the  Government  has  prepared  any  proposal  to  prioritise  special  agricultural packages, expansion of micro-irrigation, crop diversification and water conservation projects for drought affected areas like Beed;

(d) whether  a  demand  to  direct  water  from  Ujani  Dam  to  Manjra  Dam  is  being  made  to address the water crisis in the Marathwada region; and

(e) if so, the current status of the proposal, estimated cost and the time by which the work under the said proposal is likely to be completed?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.  457  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  24 TH   MARCH,  2026  REGARDING  'IMPACT  OF IRREGULAR RAINFALL ON FARMER'S INCOME'

(a) & (b): As  reported by  State Govt. of Maharashtra,  Beed  district in State of Maharashtra is one of the districts having low cropping intensity, low productivity and low institutional  credit  to  farmers  as  compared  to  other  districts  of  the  State.    To  enhance agricultural productivity, promote crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices, Government launched PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY) during 2025 for a period of six years beginning from 2025-26 covering 100 districts in the country with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters.  Beed is one of the District covered under the Scheme. The Scheme is implemented through convergence of 36 existing schemes across  11  Departments/Ministries  along  with  State  schemes  and  private  sector participation. District Action Plans are prepared and implemented by District-level Committees to address local constraints.

The  Government  is  implementing  various  Centrally  sponsored  and  Central  sector Schemes through State Governments for enhancing productivity  and sustainability of  the agriculture in the country including State of Maharashtra. The schemes of the Department of Agriculture And Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) under implementation are given at Annexure I.

Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY)  was  launched  during  the  year 2015-16, with an aim to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable areas under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc. 29 major and medium irrigation projects in the State of Maharashtra have been taken up for funding under PMKSY-Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Program (AIBP) and 4.16 lakh hectare irrigation potential has been created and 2.71 lakh hectare command area has been developed. One project namely Upper Kundalika Project benefits Beed district of Maharashtra with 2.80 thousand hectare irrigation potential created under this project. Besides, under special package for Maharashtra eight major and medium irrigation projects and 83 surface minor irrigation (SMI) scheme in Vidarbha, Marathwada and rest of Maharashtra region have been sanctioned. Three major and medium projects and 73 SMI have been completed with 2.16 lakh hectare irrigation potential created. One Surface Minor  Irrigation  project  namely  Satra  Potra  S.T.  included  under  Maharashtra  Package benefits Beed district with 790 hectare irrigation potential created.

As  per  the  National  Policy  on  Disaster  Management,  State  Govt.  is  primarily responsible for providing relief measures in case of notified calamities including drought from the  State  Disaster  Response  Fund  (SDRF)  in  accordance  with  the  approved  items  and norms. In case of disaster of severe nature, additional financial assistance is also provided over and above SDRF from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) as per approved norms. In Maharashtra during last two years and current year Rs. 6684.8 crore has been released under NDRF/ SDRF.

(c): Further  the  Govt.  implements  various  schemes  to  make  Indian  agriculture  a sustainable production system. Organic farming is promoted through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and natural farming through National Mission on Natural Farming. 'Mission for Aatmanirbharta  in  Pulses',  National  Mission  on  Edible  Oils  -  Oilseeds  (NMEO-OS),  and National Food Security & Nutrition Mission promotes crop diversification. Under NMEO-OS (since  inception  i.e.  2024-25)  67468  ha  value  chain  clusters  have  been  developed  and advanced  technologies  have  been  demonstrated  on  43453  ha  area.  DA&FW    is  also implementing  Per  Drop  More  Crop  (PDMC)  scheme  since  2015-16  in  the  country.  The scheme focuses on enhancing  water use efficiency  at farm level  through  micro  irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation. An area of 7.69 lakh ha has been covered under micro irrigation during last five years and current year in Maharashtra out of which 32,054 hectare  covered  in  Beed  district.  Further,  Watershed  Development  Component  of  the Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  2.0  (WDC-PMKSY  2.0)  being  implemented  by Department of  Land  Resources in the Country  aims at water  conservation.  Under WDCPMKSY 2.0, out of 140 watershed development projects sanctioned in Maharashtra during year 2021-22, 3 projects are in Beed District covering an area of 10,642.41 hectare.

(d) & (e): As per the information received from Government of Maharashtra, there is no such proposal.

## Schemes under of Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

- 1)  Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) - To ensure saturation of eligible farmers in 100 districts.
- 2)  Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
- 3)  Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) - Provides concessional short term agricultural loans to farmers through Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs).
- 4)  Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) - To provide medium to long-term debt financing for viable projects focused on post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets.
- 5)  Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM) - Post-harvest infrastructure
- 6)  Formation  and  Promotion  of  10,000  new  Farmer  Producers  Organizations  (FPOs)  -To leverage economies of scale in collectives of small & marginal farmers for both agricultural inputs and agro-produce. All FPOs are already registered - focus will be on scaling & market linkages.
- 7)  Pradhan  Mantri  Annadata  Aay  SanraksHan  Abhiyan  (PM-AASHA)  -  To  ensure  farmers receive remunerative prices for their produce and to stabilize market prices.
- 8)  National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) - To encourage on farm agricultural inputs and reduce cost of cultivation.
- 9)  Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) - To promote organic farming.
- 10)   Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) - Focused and widespread adoption of Micro-irrigation.
- 11)   Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM) - To promote agricultural mechanization and improve farming efficiency. Establishing FMB / CHC with reasonable rentals. District level uberization models.
- 12)   Namo Drone Didi - Empowering women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by providing them with drones to offer agricultural services to farmers.
- 13)   Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F) - For encourage appropriate fertilizer & inputs. Outreach for advisories and School Soil Health Program.
- 14)   National  Food  Security  and  Nutrition  Mission  (NFSNM)  -  On  increasing  food  production, particularly  for  rice,  wheat,  pulses,  and  coarse  cereals,  while  also  promoting  nutritional security through various interventions.
- 15)   Mission for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  -  Aimed  at  the  holistic development of  the  horticulture  sector  and  promote  diversification  /  value  addition  /  cold chains.
- 16)   National  Mission  on  Edible  Oils  (NMEO)-Oilseeds  -  Aimed  at  boosting  domestic  oilseed production  and  achieving  self-sufficiency  in  edible  oils  through  clusters  and  value  chain partners.
- 17)   National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm - In selected states, oil palm as plantation crop with high returns.
- 18)   Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region - To promote organic farming in the North Eastern states of India
- 19)   Digital Agriculture Mission - Development of digital public infrastructure for agriculture
- 20)   Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Maan  Dhan  Yojana  (PM-KMY)-  Provides  pension  support  (Rs. 3000/month) to small and marginal farmers after age 60.
- 21)   Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)-  Offers insurance against adverse weather conditions like drought, rainfall, and temperature variations.
- 22)   Agri Fund for Start-ups & Rural Enterprises (AgriSURE)- Supports agri-startups and rural enterprises through funding and incubation.
- 23)   Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE)- Strengthens farmer awareness and advisory services through training, demonstrations, and ICT.
- 24)   Sub-Mission on Seed & Planting Material (SMSP)-  Ensures availability of quality seeds and planting material to improve crop productivity.
- 25)   National  Beekeeping  &  Honey  Mission  (NBHM)-  Promotes  beekeeping  for  income generation and pollination support.
- 26)   Mission  Organic  Value  Chain  Development  for  North  Eastern  Region  (MOVCD-NER)Develops organic farming value chains in North East India from production to marketing.
- 27)   Market  Intervention  Scheme  &  Price  Support  Scheme  (MIS-PSS)-  Protects  farmers  by procurement and price stabilization for crops during market distress.
- 28)   PM- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).- Provides flexible funding to states for agriculture and allied sector development.

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