Question : Benefit to Farmers

(a) whether the Government has rolled out new initiatives, schemes, programmes and plans to benefit all the farmers and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has reviewed the performance of the schemes implemented for doubling farmers'' income by 2022 and if so, the shortcomings noticed which create hindrance in doubling farmers'' income;

(c) the steps taken by the Government to mitigate the shortcomings;

(d) the extent to which these new initiatives, schemes, programmes and plans have improved the quality of life of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers; and

(e) the role of State Governments in implementing the new initiatives, schemes, programmes and plans for the welfare of farmers along with the kind of assistance provided to the State Governments for effective implementation of these schemes?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)
(a): Agriculture is a State subject. However, the Government of India supports and facilitates development and progress of the Agriculture sector through various Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes. A list of Schemes is at Annexure – I.

Contd….2/-
- 2 -

Recently, the Government has initiated the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme, launched on 24.2.2019 to provide income support to all small and marginal landholder farmer families across the country, subject to certain exclusions, to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs. The Scheme provides a payment of Rs. 6000/- per year in three 4-monthly installments of Rs. 2000/- to the farmers’ families with cultivable land holding up to 2 hectare, subject to certain exclusions relating to higher income groups. The ambit of the Scheme has now been expanded to cover all farmers in the country irrespective of the size of their land holding.

Further, the Government has recently approved a pension scheme for all small and marginal farmers (SMF) in the country, subject to certain exclusion clauses, with a view to provide them a social security net as they have minimal or no savings to provide for old age and to support them in the event of consequent loss of livelihood. The scheme provides for payment of a minimum fixed pension of Rs. 3,000/- per month to eligible farmers on attaining the age of 60 years. It is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme, with entry age of 18 to 40 years. The beneficiary can opt to become a member of the Scheme by subscribing to a Pension Fund, managed by the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). For example, the beneficiary is required to contribute Rs. 100/- per month in the pension fund at median entry age of 29 years, with matching contribution of Rs. 100/- by the Central Government.

(b) to (d): The Government of India continuously evaluates the performance of all Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes which contribute to the objective of doubling of farmers income by 2022. Impact and concurrent evaluations of Schemes are carried out to rectify shortcomings. As a result of such an evaluation, the RKVY scheme was revamped as RKVY-RAFTAAR to focus on pre and post harvest management, value chain linked project and Innovation and Agri-entrepreneurship development.

The new initiatives, programmes and plan schemes have contributed to improving the quality of life of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers.

(e): Agriculture is a State subject. However, the Government of India supports and facilitates development and progress of Agriculture sector through various Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes. Under Centrally Sponsored Schemes, funds are released to the State Government, which implements the schemes as per guidelines.