(a) the steps taken by the Government to achieve self sufficiency in agriculture
as well as agro-based industries;
(b) whether the subsidies amounting to US Dollar one billion were paid to
farmers in developed countries but the same could not be done in India because of
lack of funds; and
(c) if so, the remedial steps taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI AJIT SINGH)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFFERED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 315 DUE FOR REPLY ON 15TH APRIL, 2002.
(a): The Government is making concerted effort to achieve self sufficiency in
agriculture through implementation of various schemes and other fiscal and
financial interventions. India has achieved self sufficiency in a number of
agricultural items. The Government is also promoting agro based industries to
boost value addition in agriculture.
(b)&(c): As per Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) report, the support to agriculture in OECD countries increased from US $
307 billion in 1986-88 to US $ 361 billion in 1999. Keeping this in view, India in its
negotiating proposals for the on-going mandated negotiations under World Trade
Organization Agreement on Agriculture has called for inclusion of all trade distorting
domestic support measures in the calculations of the Total Aggregate Measurement
of Support (AMS) which would be subjected to reduction commitments if above the
de-minimis level. To safeguard the interests of Indian farmers the Government
have put in place a suitable mechanism for monitoring of the imports of sensitive
items and are committed to providing adequate protection to the domestic
producers by resorting to various WTO compatible measures which include
appropriate calibration of applied tariffs within the bound tariffs, imposition of anti-
dumping, countervailing duties and safeguard action under certain specified
circumstances.