(a) whether the Government has provided micro-irrigation facilities to small farmers to
promote horticulture;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the number of small farmers having other irrigation facilities in the country like drip and
sprinkler irrigation to produce horticulture products;
(d) whether the Government proposes to encourage and provide micro-irrigation facilities to
these farmers; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI SHARAD PAWAR)
(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. The Government has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme
on Macro Management in Agriculture – Supplementation/Complementation of States Efforts
through Work Plan to promote various agricultural and horticultural crops under which
assistance for micro irrigation involving drip and sprinkler irrigation was one of the component.
Assistance under the Scheme is available to all category of farmers. Besides, assistance for
taking up drip irrigation by the farmers in the North Eastern States is being provided under the
Centrally Sponsored Scheme on Technology Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture
in the North Eastern States (TMNE) including Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir
and Uttaranchal.
(c): Till March 2004, an area of six lakh hectares have been covered under drip irrigation and
another 14 lakh hectares have been covered under sprinkler irrigation. However, no survey has
been conducted to ascertain the number of small farmers having such irrigation facilities.
(d) & (e): Assistance for encouraging micro-irrigation is being continued under TMNE.
Besides, an amount of Rs.400.00 crore has been earmarked during 2005-06 for promoting micro
irrigation under the new scheme on Micro Irrigation.