MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
‡ãðŠãäÓã ??? ????? ?????? ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ À㕾㠽ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIYA )
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(a) & (b): As reported by some State Governments the number of farmers’ suicide during the year 2015 and 2016, due to agrarian reasons, as compiled by this Department is annexed.
The State Governments initiate necessary relief measures in the interest of farmers in the wake of drought and other natural calamities from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), which is readily available with them. Additional financial assistance to State Government, over and above SDRF, is considered for approval under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) on receipt of relief memoranda from State Governments and in accordance with extant norms and procedures.
The Government has taken several new initiatives to promote agricultural activities. The strategy is to focus on farmers’ welfare by making farming viable. Farm viability is possible, when cost of cultivation is reduced, yields per unit of farm are increased and farmers get remunerative prices on their produce. The Department has been implementing various schemes to meet this objective.
(i) Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme by which the farmers can know the major and minor nutrients available in their soils which will ensure judicious use of fertiliser application and thus save money of farmers. The balanced use of fertiliser will also enhance productivity and ensure higher returns to the farmers.
(ii) Neem Coated Urea is being promoted to regulate urea use, enhance its availability to the crop and reduce cost of fertilizer application. The entire quantity of domestically manufactured urea is now neem coated.
(iii) Parampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is being implemented with a view to promote organic farming in the country. This will improve soil health and organic matter content and increase net income of the farmer so as to realise premium prices.
(iv) The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) is being implemented to expand cultivated area with assured irrigation, reduce wastage of water and improve water use efficiency.
Government has also recently approved a new crop Insurance scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to replace National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and Modified NAIS (MNAIS) from Kharif 2016 season. PMFBY has addressed all the shortcomings in the earlier schemes and would be available to the farmers at very low rates of premium. This scheme would provide insurance cover for all stages of the crop cycle including post-harvest risks in specified instances. Some salient features are:
a) Farmers have to pay the lowest ever premium rate.
b) There will be a uniform premium rate for farmers for entire country - 2% maximum for Kharif food & Oilseed crops, 1.5% maximum for Rabi food & Oilseed crops and 5% maximum for Annual Horticultural/Annual Commercial crops.
c) The remaining financial burden will be borne by the Government.
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d) Famers will get full insurance cover – there will be no “capping” of the Sum Insured and consequently, claim amount will not be cut or reduced.
e) For the first time, inundation has been included under localized risk cover, in addition to hailstorm and landslide. Individual farm level assessment of crop loss will be done for this.
f) For the first time, post harvest losses arising out of cyclones and unseasonal rains through out the country have been covered.
g) For the first time, emphasis has been given to mobile and Satellite Technology to facilitate accurate assessment and quick settlement of claims.
h) Crop Insurance Portal has been launched. This will be used extensively for better administration, co-ordination, dissemination of information and transparency.
i) Coverage of areas to be increased from 23%, at present to 50% in 2 to 3 years.
Further the Government undertakes procurement of wheat and paddy under its ‘MSP operations’. In addition, Government implements Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for procurement of agricultural and horticultural commodities not covered under the Minimum Price Support Scheme on the request of State/UT Government, in order to protect the growers of these commodities from making distress sale in the event of bumper crop when the prices tend to fall below the economic level/cost of production.
(c): Agriculture is a State subject under the Constitution and therefore, State Government take appropriate measures for development of Agriculture Sector and Welfare of Farmers including payment of compensation to the bereaved families of farmers affected by suicide.
(d) & (e): The Government provides interest subvention @ 3% on short-term crop loans up to Rs.3.00 lakh. Presently, loan is available to farmers at interest rate of 7% per annum, which gets reduced to 4% on prompt repayment. Further, under Interest Subvention Scheme 2015-16, in order to provide relief to the farmers on occurrence of natural calamities, the interest subvention of 2% shall continue to be available to banks for the first year on the restructured amount. The benchmark for initiating relief measures by banks has also been reduced to 33% crop loss in line with the National Disaster Management Framework.
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