(a) the details of the measures being taken by the Government to raise agricultural
production on dry land of the country;
(b) whether the Government has adopted the recommendations of the Parth Sarathi
Committee report in this regard;
(c) if so, the action taken on the recommendations of this report; and
(d) the measures taken by the Government to bring maximum agricultural land under
irrigation?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING
INDUSTRIES (SHRI TARIQ ANWAR)
(a) to (d): Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) is implementing a sub-scheme “Rainfed Area
Development Programme (RADP)†under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) to address
specific concerns of rainfed/dryland farmers. Besides, all major development programmes
of MoA, viz., National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Horticulture Mission (NHM),
National Mission on Micro Irrigation(NMMI) etc. give special focus to dryland/rainfed
areas.
Research Projects on dryland agriculture are also being implemented by Central Research
Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR)
for
enhancing agriculture production and productivity in these areas.
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is implementing the Integrated Watershed
Management Programme (IWMP) for development of rainfed and degraded areas of the
country. MoRD had constituted the Parthasarathy Committee and based on the suggestions
of the Committee, National Rainfed Area Authority, in coordination with the Planning
Commission, formulated Common Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects, 2008 to
give and impetus to watershed development programmes. MoRD has implemented main
recommendations of the Technical Committee by integrating the three area development
programmes namely Desert Development Programme (DDP), Drought Prone Areas
Programme (DPAP) and Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP – into a
single modified programme called Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)
with effect from 26.02.2009. The WMP is implemented under the Common Guidelines for
Watershed Development Projects, 2008.