(a) the amount allocated and sanctioned by the Union Government to
various States of the country for promoting dry land farming during each
of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
(b) the total areas of land in the country which have been covered under
the dry land farming during the said period, State-wise;
(c) the incentives given to the farmers for dry land farming; and
(d) the extent of success achieved in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI HARISH RAWAT)
(a) & (b): For the promotion of rainfed/dryland farming, various watershed programmes are being
implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Rural Development through integrated
watershed management approach. The details of these programmes are:
Ministry of Agriculture
1. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA)
2. Soil Conservation in the Catchments of River Valley Project and Flood
Prone River (RVP & FPR)
3. Watershed Development Project for Shifting Cultivation Areas (WDPSCA)
Ministry of Rural Development
Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP): Integration and Modification of the schemes
of Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP), Desert Development Programme (DDP) and Integrated
Waterland Development Programme (IWDP).
State wise allocation/expenditure made under various watershed programmes during the last three
years (2008-09 to 2010 – 11) and allocation for 2011- 12 is given at Annexure I. Details of area coverage
during this period is given at Annexure II.
Besides, programmes like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission
(NFSM), National Mission on Micro Irrigation (NMMI), National Horticulture Mission (NHM) also accord
special focus to rainfed areas for improving livelihood security and agricultural productivity. Research
Projects on Dryland agriculture are also being implemented by Indian Council of Agricultural Research
(ICAR) under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Dryland Agriculture (AICRPDA).
(c) & (d): In watershed programmes, assistance is provided to farmers for natural resource management
activities. Besides, in other agriculture development programmes, incentives are provided to farmers in
terms of subsidy for various agricultural inputs/operations. Watershed programmes have helped in
increasing production & productivity in rainfed/degraded areas.