Question : Income of Farmers

(a) whether demonetisation has caused a huge dip in the income of farmers in the country and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;

(b) whether the Government proposes to formulate a new realistic policy/scheme to achieve the progressive objective of doubling the income of farmers by 2022 and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has set up any inter-Ministerial Committee to suggest strategy for doubling the income of farmers and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the said committee has submitted its recommendation in this regard and if so, the details thereof and the follow up action taken by the Government thereon; and

(e) whether the Government has identified any agriculture based industry to achieve the targets of doubling the income of farmers and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to promote the said industry?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a): No, Madam. To understand the impact of demonetization on farming sector, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NIAP) conducted a short survey of farmers in few villages around Delhi under Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav (MGMG) initiative. Survey findings could not establish any significant adverse effect of demonetization on input availability, market arrivals of produce and area sown in Rabi season. As per preliminary reports received from the States, the total area sown under Rabi crops as on 27th January, 2017 stands at 637.34 lakh hectares as compared to 600.02 lakh hectares this time in 2016 indicating no significant impact of demonetization on Rabi sowing.
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(b) to (e): In order to achieve the target of doubling of income of farmers by March 2022, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare has constituted a Committee under the Chairmanship of Additional Secretary, for the following aspects:

i) To study the current income level of farmers/ agricultural labourers

ii) To measure the historical growth rate of the current income level

iii) To determine the needed growth rate to double the income of farmers/agricultural labourers by the year 2021-22

iv) To consider and recommend various strategies to be adopted to accomplish (iii) above

v) To recommend an institutional mechanism to review and monitor implementation to realise the goal

vi) To examine any other related issue.

The Committee has held five meetings so far to evolve a suitable strategy.


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