Question : Demonstration by Farmers

(a) whether the farming in the country has become a loss making profession and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(b) whether there are reports of demonstration, agitation, protest and farmers’ unrest for debt waiver and higher crop price and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;

(c) whether a number of farmers died in police firing or committed suicide during demonstration in various parts of the country in 2017 and if so, the details thereof,
State/UT-wise;

(d) whether there is a need to give financial and other assistances to the farmers and to waive off their loans immediately to mitigate the rising anger amongst the farmers and to prevent farming from becoming unprofitable profession to them and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government in this regard including the corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government to make farming a profitable profession and to address the grievances of the farmers along with achievements thereof;

(e) whether the Government has prepared or considering to prepare a foolproof policy to solve the problems of the farmers including climate and natural calamities and if so, the details and the salient features thereof along with the time by which it is likely to be implemented and the extent to which it will help in solving the problems of farmers; and

(f) the details of minimum support price and bonuses announced by the Union and State Government for procurement of farm produce during the current year?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a): According to Situation Assessment Surveys (2003 and 2013), conducted by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), average monthly farm household income has risen from Rs. 2115 in 2003 to Rs. 6,426. To make farming a profitable profession, Government has launched various pro-farmer schemes which provides subsidized credit, farm inputs, assures better prices through Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) and the initiative of doubling farm income by 2022.

(b) & (c): There are reports of protests by farmers in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh on various demands. Also incidents of violence were reported in Madhya Pradesh. However, Law and order is state subject under the Constitution, it is for the concerned states to take requisited steps to contain the situation.

(d) & (e): Agriculture being a state subject, it is for the state governments to take necessary actions. Nonetheless, Government is implementing various schemes to increase the production and productivity for farmers which, inter-alia, include: National Food Security Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Soil Health Card & Neem Coated Urea under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana and National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) etc. The achievements under these schemes and programmes are as follows:

i) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and Restructured Weather Based Insurance Scheme: under the two schemes 172.67 lakh farmers covering 195 lakh hectares of area was insured for a sum of rupees 73,250. 73 crores during rabi 2016-17.

ii) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana : Under the “Per Drop More Crop” a total of 1,45,687 hectares of land have been irrigated. The total allocation for this scheme in 2017-18 was 2,498 crores and the Government has already released 521.50 crores.

iii) Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana : Till December, 2016 State Governments have made 9,186 clusters while in 2015-16 it was 8,000 clusters. The budget estimate for 2017-18 is Rs. 350 crores.

iv) Soil Health Card & Neem Coated Urea: As on 11.07. 2017, the target of collection of 253 lakh soil samples has been achieved; and 97 percent of these samples have been tested. The sales of Neem Coated Urea (NCU) for the year 2016-17 is 295.35 lakh MT.

v) National Agricultural Market (e-NAM): Under this scheme 455 mandis of 13 states and 48.45 lakh farmers, 91,500 traders and 48,357 commission agents have been integrated with e-NAM Portal.

(f): The details of minimum support price and bonus fixed by the Government during the current year (2017-18) is given in Annexure.