(a) whether under the National Food Security Mission, farmers are entitled to receive seeds and fertilisers;
(b) if so, the quantity which has been distributed to the farmers in the country including Jharkhand; and
(c) the number of farmers who have benefited under the mission during each of the last three years and the current year?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY
OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) & (b): The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) is in operation since October
2007 with three components i.e. NFSM-Rice, NFSM-Wheat and NFSM – Pulses. Presently,
the scheme is under implementation in 17 States including Jharkhand. In Jharkhand,
only NFSM – Rice is being implemented. Under the Scheme, farmers are entitled to avail
assistance for purchase of seeds and micro nutrients. The progress reports received
from the implementing states including Jharkhand indicate that about 42.6 lakh qtls of
seeds of rice, wheat and pulses have been distributed amongst the farmers during 2007-08
and 2008-09. Similarly, about 16.9 lakh ha area has been applied with micro nutrients
during the same period.
(c): During the last two years of implementation of NFSM, as many as nearly 72 lakhs
of farmers have been observed to be benefited through various interventions including
seeds and micronutrients. As regards current year (2009-10), since the Programme has
just commenced, it could be assessed only after the closure of the year i.e. after