Question : Use of Electricity in Farming Sector

(a) whether the Government intends to double the income of farmers by 2020;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether the Government has noticed that the use of electricity in farming sector is increasing every year;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Government has any proposal to give free electricity to the farmers for their agricultural purposes; and

(f) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a) & (b): The Government had constituted an Inter-ministerial Committee in April, 2016 to examine issues relating to “Doubling of Farmers Income” and recommend strategies to achieve the same. The Committee has submitted its Report to the Government in September, 2018. An Empowered Body has also been set up to monitor and review the progress against the recommendations. The Committee on Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI) recognises agriculture as a value led enterprise and has identified seven major sources of growth, viz., improvement in crop productivity; improvement in livestock productivity; resource use efficiency or savings in the cost of production; increase in the cropping intensity; diversification towards high value crops; improvement in real prices received by farmers; and shift from farm to non-farm occupations. Several initiatives have already been rolled out on the recommendations of DFI Committee. All programmes of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare are aligned to achieving these recommendations.
Contd…2/-

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(c) & (d): The use of electricity in Agriculture sector is increasing every year. The details of the electricity consumed for agriculture purposes during last ten years is annexed.

(e) & (f): As per provisions of Electricity Act 2003, respective State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) determine the electricity tariff for retail supply of electricity to end consumers. Section 65 of the Electricity Act, 2003 provides that State Government can provide subsidy to any class of consumers in the tariff determined by the SERCs. Hence Central Government has no role in providing free electricity to the farmers for their agricultural purposes.