Question : Dry Land Farming

(a) the details of area under dry land farming including net sown area, net irrigated and unirrigated land in the country during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the Government has launched the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) to promote rainfed/dry land farming in the country and if so, the details thereof along with the funds/incentives provided to the farmers for the purpose and the success achieved thereunder during the said period, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government proposes to amalgamate existing irrigation programmes being run by different Ministries to bring more area under irrigation and cultivation and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government has taken any steps to conduct Research and Development (R&D) to convert fallow land into cultivable land to increase agricultural production in the country and if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and

(e) the measures being taken to supplement the efforts of the State Governments to bring more cultivable land under irrigation?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã ??? ????? ?????? ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ À㕾㠽ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIYA )

(a): As per available estimates, State-wise extent of net area sown, net irrigated area and un-irrigated/dryland area in the country during the last three years (2010-13) are annexed.

(b): Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare had been implementing National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) since 1990-91 and which become part of Macro Management of Agriculture (MMA) Scheme in 2000-01. NWDPRA was closed from 1st April, 2013 due to closure of MMA Scheme. As a result of implementation of various interventions under NWDPRA, productivity of rainfed area was reported to be higher as compared to pretreatment.

(c) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) has been conceived by amalgamating ongoing schemes namely; Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD&GR), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Land Resources (DoLR) and On Farm Water Management (OFWM) of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare. PMKSY has been operationalised from 1st July, 2015, aiming to achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level, expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency by adoption of precise irrigation system, augmentation of aquifers by introducing sustainable water conservation practices across the country.

(d) & (e): Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has conducted several studies through its regional centers located across the country and recommended various technological interventions to make fallow lands cultivable. Interventions include efficient crop planning, agroforestry, development of short duration drought resistant varieties, intercropping, rain-water harvesting, integrated watershed management, micro irrigation system, integrated nutrient management and resource conservation technologies etc. Accordingly, Government of India is supplementing the efforts of State Governments through its on-going programmes/ schemes/missions for implementation of measures suggested by ICAR for bringing fallow land under cultivation and also to provide supplementary irrigation to existing cultivable land.