Strategy for doubling of farmers’ income through various policies, reforms & programmes

LOK SABHA 

STEPS TO DOUBLE FARMERS INCOME

2701. SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA
          SHRI VIJAY KUMAR
          SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU

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

(a) the steps taken to double the income of farmers through various ambitious schemes by the year 2022 and the amount allocated in this regard during the last five years, Scheme-wise and State/UT-wise, including the names and present status thereof;

(b) whether the Government is formulating separate State-wise and region-wise action plans considering the geographical landscape of the country, and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the current rate of growth of the agriculture sector and the percentage growth rate required in the agriculture sector to double the income of farmers;

(d) the steps taken by the Government for achieving the above growth rate in the agriculture sector;

(e) the comprehensive steps taken to provide remunerative prices for farmers’ crops and to improve their lives; and

(f) whether the Government is formulating any scheme to create awareness among farmers and to educate them and if so, the details thereof?

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (e): Government had constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee in April, 2016 to examine issues relating to “Doubling of Farmers Income (DFI)” and recommend strategies to achieve the same. The Committee which made recommendations as it worked since its constitution submitted the final report to the Government in September, 2018 containing comprehensive strategy for doubling of farmers’ income through various policies, reforms & programmes. An Empowered Body was subsequently set up to bring greater sharpness and speed to implementation of the DFI strategy. The States have been supported by ICAR in preparing State/UT- specific DFI strategy.

In line with the strategy for increasing farmers’ income, as suggested by the DFI Committee, several developmental programmes, schemes, reforms and  policies have been implemented by the Government. The approach is in consonance with the sources of growth in income of the farmers suggested by the DFI Committee. The initiatives aim at (i) increasing crop productivity (ii) increasing livestock productivity (iii) increasing cropping intensity (iv) improving resource use efficiency

(v) diversification towards high value agriculture and (vi) ensuring remunerative prices on farmers produce. Over the last 6 years, large number of programmes & schemes have been adopted to translate this approach into reality. In addition there has also been focus on welfare activities. Some initiatives include:

(i) Productivity enhancement across cereals, pulses & oilseeds under NFSM (National Food Security Mission),

(ii) Productivity increase and area coverage across horticulture sector under MIDH (Mission Integrated Development of Horticulture),

(iii) Focus on resource use efficiency through SHC, Neem coated Urea, Micro- irrigation under ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component of PMKSY, farm mechanisation under SMAM etc,

(iv) Better access to irrigation under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY). Area under irrigation has been enhanced through AIBP of Ministry of Jal Shakti,

(v) Consistent annual increase in volume of credit with interest subvention; increase in coverage of farmers under Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) and offering production loan to even dairy & fishery farmers besides agricultural crops,

(vi) Crop insurance under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY),

(vii) Increase in Minimum Support Price (MSPs) for all Kharif & Rabi crops ensuring a minimum of 50 percent of profit margin on the cost of production,

(viii) New procurement policy by adopting PM-AASHA, under which robust procurement of pulses & oilseeds has been enabled. This initiative supplements FCI operation for procurement of paddy, wheat & millets,

(ix) Integration of APMCs with eNAM to create a more efficient marketing environment,

(x) Formation and promotion of 10,000 FPOs, to bring scales of economy to agricultural operations,

(xi) Promotion of digital technology including adoption of drone technologies in agriculture which has a potential to revolutionize the Indian agriculture,

(xii) National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), which aims to evolve and implement strategies to make Indian agriculture more resilient to the changing climate,

(xiii) Promotion of Bee-Keeping, Rashtriya Gokul Mission, Blue Revolution, Agro-forestry, Restructured National Bamboo Mission, implementation of New Generation Watershed Guidelines, etc,

(xiv) Supplementary income transfers under PM-KISAN,

(xv) Special attention to creation of infrastructure through Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF) with a size of Rs. 100,000 crore.

Since agriculture is a State subject, all the above schemes / programmes are implemented in close coordination with the State Governments. Government supports these schemes by providing higher budgetary allocation, non-budgetary financial resources by creating Corpus Funds like Micro Irrigation Fund, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, PM Matasya Sampada Yojana, Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund and formation of FPOs, Gramin Agriculture Markets etc.

Further, due to implementation of these schemes there is record production in food grain, other crop sectors, horticulture as also livestock & fisheries. Also the country has witnessed substantive growth in export of agriculture and allied commodities.

All this has been possible due to unprecedented enhancement in budget allocation for agriculture since the year from Rs. 27662.67 crore in 2013-14 to Rs. 1,32,513.62 crores in 2022-23. According to current Economic Survey, agriculture and allied sectors grew at a positive growth rate of 3.6 per cent during 2020-21. A Statement containing State-wise and scheme wise budgetary allocation for the last 5 years is enclosed at Annexure-1.

(f): Details of major schemes and programmes implemented  under  the  Sub Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) under Green Revolution Krishonnati- Yojana with the objective to restructure and strengthen the agricultural extension machinery are enclosed at Annexure-2.

 Annexure-1

State wise allocation in respect of beneficiary oriented Centrally Sponsored Schemes