(a) whether the Government has taken any measures to make agricultural practices more sustainable;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the steps taken by the Government to improve irrigation practices to preserve water
(d) whether the Government has adopted any specific measures to build resilience to frequent floods which destroy crops; and
(e) if so, the details thereof an if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
???? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR).
(a) & (b): To make agriculture sustainable & climate resilient the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC), includes programmatic interventions like Soil Health Card (SHC), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER), Rainfed Area Development (RAD), National Bamboo Mission (NBM) and Sub-Mission on Agro Forestry (SMAF) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana – Per Drop More Crop (PMKSY - PDMC).
(c), (d) & (e): To improve irrigation practices to preserve water, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has suggested judicious use of water through efficient irrigation techniques including micro-irrigation, rainwater harvesting and recycling, multiple use of water, conjunctive use of rain, surface and groundwater resources, to save irrigation water substantially. Similarly, farmers are given advisories for adoption of modern agronomic practices like raised bed sowing, alternate furrow irrigation, mulching, Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) through seed drills and drum seeders, System of Rice Intensification (SRI), alternate wetting & drying method, adoption of varieties which require less water, etc. Besides, diversifying cropping patterns from water intensive crops to pulses, oilseeds, maize and agro-forestry is also undertaken. In order to build resilience to floods, the ICAR under National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) is conducting research to develop/ evaluate flood tolerant varieties suitable to be grown in different flood affected areas. Improved agronomic resilient practices to overcome flood problems are being demonstrated under the Technology Demonstration Component of NICRA in vulnerable flood prone districts. Contingency plans are developed to give advisories to farmers when flood events occur in different parts of the country.
Flood management is under the purview of the States and schemes for flood control are formulated and implemented by concerned States as per their priority. The Union Government supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical guidance and promotional financial assistance for management of floods in critical areas including for destruction of crops.
Integrated flood approach aims at adopting a judicious mix of structural and non - structural measures to provide protection against flood damages.
To strengthen the structural measures of flood management, during XI & XII Plan, Ministry has launched Flood Management Programme (FMP) for providing Central Assistance to States for works related to flood management, flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development, anti-sea erosion, etc. which subsequently continued as a component of the "Flood Management and Border Areas Programme" (FMBAP) for the period from 2017-18 and extended up to December, 2021.
For non-structural measures, the Central Water Commission (CWC) is the nodal Organization entrusted with the task of flood forecasting & early flood warnings in the country.
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