(a) whether the Government has taken steps to implement M.S. Swaminathan Committee Report;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the expected expenditure to implement the committee report;
(d) whether any State Government/ organizations approached Government to implement the committee report;
(e) if so, the details thereof; and
(f) if not, the reasons for not implementing the committee report in agriculture sector of the country?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
???? ??? ????? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)
(a) to (f): The Swaminathan Commission submitted five reports to the Government. The major recommendations of the Commission contained in the five reports were included in the ‘Draft National Policy for Farmers’ submitted by the Commission itself in 2006. Based on the ‘Draft National Policy for Farmers’, submitted by the Swaminathan Commission, which contained major recommendations of the Commission, the Government, after consultations with State Governments and the Central Ministries concerned, approved the National Policy for Farmers (NPF), 2007, which aims to improve economic viability of farming and increase net income of farmers.
The NPF, 2007 also provides that the State Governments/UTs have to convert national goals into local action points by preparing operational plans for implementing this policy taking into account the agro-climatic and other local conditions. Such operational plans be prepared at the district level by a multi-disciplinary professional group and integrated at the state level.
Contd….2/-
-2-
An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), which was constituted for preparation of Plan of Action, identified 201 Action Points from NPF, 2007, where necessary action had to be taken. Of the 201 number of action points identified, 192 numbers have already been implemented as of date.
Agriculture being a State subject, the State Governments undertakes development of perspective plans and ensures effective implementation of the programmes/ schemes. Also, Government of India supplements the efforts of the State Governments through various Schemes/ Programmes.
Further, the Government has set a target of doubling of farmers’ income by the year 2022. The Government has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Executive Officer, National Rainfed Area Authority, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare to examine issues relating to doubling of farmers’ income and recommend a strategy to achieve doubling of farmers’ income in real terms by the year 2022.
The committee has identified seven sources of income growth viz, improvement in crop and livestock productivity; resource use efficiency or savings in the cost of production; increase in the cropping intensity; diversification towards high value crops; improvement in real prices received by farmers; and shift from farm to non-farm occupations. The committee is also looking into the investments in and for agriculture e.g. increasing public investments for agriculture-rural roads, rural electricity, irrigation; the need for policy support to enable investments by corporate sector in agriculture.
Several initiatives have already been taken among each of the above mention strategies which inter-alia include:
(i) Initiating market reforms through the State Governments.
(ii) Encouraging contract farming through the State Governments by promulgating of Model Contract Farming Act.
(iii) Up gradation of Gramin Haats to work as centers of aggregation and for direct purchase of agricultural commodities from the farmers.
(iv) Launch of eNAM initiative to provide farmers an electronic online trading platform.
(v) Implementation of flagship scheme of distribution of Soil Health Cards to farmers so that the use of fertilizers can be optimized.
(vi) “Per drop more crop” initiative under which drip/sprinkler irrigation is being encouraged for optimal utilization of water.
(vii) “Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)” under which organic farming is being promoted.
(viii) With a view to provide better insurance coverage to crops for risk mitigation, Government has launched a crop insurance scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) from Kharif 2016 season. This scheme provides insurance cover for all stages of the crop cycle including post-harvest risks in specified instances.
Contd…3/-
-3-
(ix) Under “Har Medh Par Ped”, agro forestry is being promoted. With the amendment of Indian Forest Act, 1947 Bamboo grown outside forest area has been removed from the definition of trees and a mission have been launched to promote bamboo plantation.
(x) Giving a major boost for the farmers income, the Government has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSPs) for all Kharif & Rabi crops for 2018-19 season at a level of at least 150 percent of the cost of production.
(xi) Giving a major boost to the pro-farmer initiatives of the Government and in keeping with its commitment and dedication for the Annadata, the Government has approved a new Umbrella Scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan(PM-AASHA)’. The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018. This is an unprecedented step taken by Govt. of India to protect the farmers’ income which is expected to go a long way towards the welfare of farmers.
(xii) Bee keeping has been promoted under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) to increase the productivity of crops through pollination and increase the honey production as an additional source of income of farmers.
(xiii) Rashtriya Gokul Mission to enhance milk production and productivity of bovines and to make milk production more remunerative to the farmers.
(xiv) National Livestock Mission to increase productivity and genetic improvement of livestock.
(xv) Foreseeing high potential in fisheries sector, a Blue Revolution with multi dimensional activities mainly focusing on fisheries production, both inland and marine is being implemented.
********