(a) whether farmers are entitled to receive seeds and fertilizers under the National Food Security Mission;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has increased the rate of subsidy for bio-fertilizers under National Food Security Mission—Pulses;
(d) if so, the subsidy given to various States during the last three years and current year, State/UT-wise; and
(e) whether the Government is considering to extend the subsidy to commercial crops, if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIA )
(a) & (b): Assistance per quintal on distribution of certified seeds of high yielding varieties is being provided to the farmers at the rate of Rs.1000 for rice and wheat, Rs.2500 for pulses and Rs.1500 for coarse cereals under National Food Security Mission (NFSM). The assistance for hybrid seeds of rice and coarse cereals is being provided at rate of Rs.5000 per quintal. Assistance for bio-fertilizers is also being provided at the rate of Rs.300 per hectare under NFSM-Pulses. However, no assistance is provided for chemical fertilizers.
(c) & (d): The rate of assistance for bio-fertilizers, which was Rs.100 per hectare has been increased to Rs.300 per hectare from the year 2014-15. The state-wise fund allocated for bio-fertilizers under NFSM-Pulses from 2011-12 to 2014-15 is given in Annexure-I.
(e): There is no such proposal.