Question : MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE FOR FOODGRAINS

(a) whether the Government have chalked out a plan to provide the benefits of minimum support price of foodgrains directly to the farmers;

(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether this plan is likely to minimize burden on Food Corporation of India to buy foodgrains;

(d) if so, the time by which this new plan is likely to be implemented and the agency through which the benefits would reach to farmers indicating the details of benefits; and

(e) the measures taken to promote horticulture and organic agriculture?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI HUKUMDEO NARAYAN YADAV)

(a) to (d): Under the existing Minimum Support Price scheme, the Government, through central nodal agencies, procures agricultural commodities, covered under the scheme, so as to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers. No other scheme has been finalized so far to replace the existing scheme.

(e): For promoting horticulture, the Government is implementing National Horticulture Board Programmes; Integrated Development of Coconut Industry; Technology Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture in the North-eastern States including Sikkim; Central Sector Scheme on Development of Horticulture in Tribal/Hilly Areas; and Central Sector Scheme on Human Resource Development in Horticulture. With regard to promotion of organic agriculture, Government set up a Task Force on Organic Farming. The Task Force has submitted the report in November 2001 giving various suggestions for promotion of organic farming in the country.