Question : Subsidy to Farmers

(a) the details of modern/latest farm technologies available to the farmers to assist them in the cultivation of crops in the country;

(b) whether the Government provides subsidy/cash subsidy to the farmers for purchasing of different farm machineries, seeds, fertilizers and electricity etc.;

(c) if so, the details thereof during each of the last three years and the current year, State and component-wise;

(d) the details of research and development work undertaken for the development of agro-machineries to overcome the shortage of farm labourers in the agriculture sector; and

(e) whether the Government has conducted any assessment regarding non-irrigation areas in order to make them cultivable and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

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(a): Government has introduced and is supporting various farm technologies to sustain growth of agriculture under various Missions/ Schemes, such as integrated farming system/ cropping system with appropriate resource conservation technologies; development of high yielding pest/ disease tolerant crop varieties/ hybrids; water use efficiency enhancement through micro irrigation; soil test based balanced and judicious use of fertilizers; dissemination of agriculture related information to the farming community through various

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ICT enabled delivery channels including SMSs, internet kiosks, farmers portals etc; scientific storage of both perishable and non-perishable produce; precision farming; increasing the reach of farm mechanization by promoting “Custom Hiring Centres”, creating hubs for hi-tech & high value farm equipments; promotion of latest technologies on crops specific cultivation; protected cultivation of horticultural products, organic farming etc.

(b): Under the existing schemes of the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, which have been formulated after wide consultations with various stakeholders including State Governments, there are provisions for supply of agricultural machinery, seeds, and other inputs at subsidized rates to the farmers in the country. Urea is controlled fertilizer and is sold at statutory notified uniform sale price, and decontrolled Phosphatic & Potassic fertilizes are sold at indicative maximum retail prices (MRPs). Subsidy on electricity charges for agricultural consumers is provided by the State Governments.

(c): Details of funds allocated/released to the State Governments during the last three years and the current year, State-wise for farm mechanization and seed distribution under major schemes of the Department of Agriculture & cooperation is given at Annexure-I and Annexure-II respectively. Separate data of electricity subsidy attributable exclusively to agriculture sector is not maintained.

(d): Research and Development is an ongoing activity in the field of agricultural mechanization. Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal with its Regional Station at Coimbatore and 24 Centres of All India Coordinated Research Project on Farm Implements and Machinery are mandated to address issues regarding development of agro-machineries to cater to the requirement of various crops and commodities, agro-climatic regions and socio economic conditions of farmers through prototype feasibility testing, prototype manufacturing, front-line demonstrations, on- farm trials on farmers’ fields etc. Modern farm equipment and machinery suitable for different regions of the country have been developed for net saving in labour, time, inputs (seeds, fertilizers, diesel, pesticides and irrigation) and unit costs.

(e): As per the land use statistics, the net irrigated area and gross irrigated area in India in 2011-12 was 65.26 million hectares and 91.53 million hectares, respectively which was 33.4 percent and 46.9 percent of the total cropped area, respectively. Pradhanmantri Gram Sinchai Yojana has been conceived with the aim at irrigating the field of every farmer and improving water use efficiency.