(a) the steps taken by the Government to reduce dependency on monsoon and compensate for the losses incurred due to damage of crops as a result of natural calamities during the last four years and the current year; and
(b) the details of the funds allocated to Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh under Calamity Relief Fund during the said period, year-wise?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? (SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)
(a) & (b): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 24 DUE FOR REPLY ON 5TH FEBRUARY, 2019.
(a): The Water Resources Projects are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State Governments themselves, as per their own resources and priority. In order to supplement their efforts, Government of India provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources through various schemes and programmes such as, Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) etc.
During 2016-17, ninety-nine (99) on-going Major/Medium irrigation projects under PMKSY- AIBP, having ultimate irrigation potential of 76.03 lakh ha. at an estimated cost of Rs. 77595 crore (Central Assistance component of Rs. 31342 Crore) have been prioritized in consultation with States, for completion in phases up to December, 2019 along with their Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM) works. Funding mechanism through NABARD has been approved by the Government for both Central and State Share. Out of these, AIBP works of 31 projects have been completed. During the period 2016-2018 irrigation potential of 53.46 lakh hectare has been created.
Since 2014-15, the following funds have been released to the States under AIBP and CADWM components:
Year Funds released (Rs. in crore)
AIBP CADWM
2014-15 2151.70 199.990
2015-16 2927.80 1142.713
2016-17 5822.02 853.956
2017-18 5593.60 933.134
2018-19(upto December 2018) 2799.59 1.197
Total 17894.71 3130.990
Contd…2/-
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Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare through ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad, has prepared detailed crop Contingency Plans for 648 districts. States have been advised for preparing, updating, and fine-tuning Contingency Plans for each district in consultation with CRIDA-ICAR and the State Agriculture Universities and to prepare location specific remedial measures based on these contingency plans in the event of late arrival of Monsoon, long dry spells, scanty rainfall, drought conditions, tying up availability of seeds and other inputs for implementing the Contingency Plans.
To mitigate the advance impact of drought, State Governments are advised to initiate advance remedial action e.g. constructing water harvesting structures under MGNREGA and other such schemes, promoting agronomic practices for moisture conservation, promoting cultivation of less water consuming crops and restoring irrigation infrastructure by desilting canals, energizing tube-wells and replacing/repairing faulty pumps. Further, the States are also advised to carry out periodic assessment of preparation for kharif crops, particularly contingency crops.
States have been advised to keep aside about 5 to 10% of fund allocated under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) for undertaking appropriate interventions, if the situation so warrants, to minimize the adverse impact of an aberrant monsoon on the agriculture sector. The Central Government implements Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) / Central Sector (CS) Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), the Rainfed Area Development Programme (RAD), National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), etc. which contribute towards drought proofing . Twenty five percent of total outlay for all CSS Schemes (except for schemes, which emanate from a legislation, e.g., MGNREGA), can be used as flexi funds to enable mitigation/ restoration activities in cases of natural calamities.
Contd…3/-
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Kisan Portal subsumes all mobile based initiatives in the field of agriculture and allied sector. Officers, Scientists and Experts from all organisations and Department of the Government of India and State Governments {including State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Krishi Vigyan Kendras(KVKs) and Agro- Meteorological Field Units (AMFUs) } are using this Portal for disseminating information (giving topical & seasonal advisories and providing services through SMSs to farmers in their local languages) on various agricultural activities to registered farmers.
The Department of Land Resources (DoLR) is currently implementing 8214 watershed development projects in 28 States (except Goa) covering an area of about 39.07 million hectares under the Watershed Development Component (WDC) of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) principally for development of rainfed portions of net cultivated area and culturable wastelands which includes drought prone areas of the country. The activities being undertaken inter alia include ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, rain water harvesting'' nursery raising, afforestation, horticulture, pasture development, livelihoods for asset less persons etc.
Since 2014-15 (upto 31.12.2018), 1010 WDC-PMKSY projects were sanctioned covering an area of 48.10 lakh hectare. The following funds were released to the States since 2014-15:-
Year Funds released (Rs. in crore)
2014-15 2284.63
2015-16 1487.83
2016-17 1471.72
2017-18 1691.81
2018-19 (upto 31.12.2018) 1059.65
Contd…4/-
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Financial assistance is provided to the farmers in the form of input subsidy, where crop loss is 33% and above, in the event of notified natural calamities. The assistance provided is different for different categories of cultivated lands, as detailed below:
(a) For agriculture crops, horticulture crops and annual plantation crops
(b) Perennial crops
(c) Sericulture
(a)(i) Rs. 6800/- per hectare in rainfed areas and restricted to sown areas.
(ii) Rs. 13,500/- per hectare in assured irrigated areas, subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs. 1000/- and restricted to sown areas.
(b)Rs. 18,000/- per hectare for all types of perennial crops, subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs. 2000/- and restricted to sown areas.
(c) Rs, 4800/- per hectare for Eri, Mulberry, Tussar.
Rs. 6000/- per hectare for Muga.
The Government of India has approved the following amount from the National Disaster Response Fund to the States, which submitted Memorandums in respect of drought, hailstorm and pest attack, during the last four years and the current year:
Year Amount approved (Rs. in crores)
2014-15 9017.998
2015-16 15537.74
2016-17 5563.28
2017-18 2089.27
2018-19 6691.77 (so far)
Contd…5/-
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(b): The details of funds approved by High Level Committee to Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh from National Disaster Response Fund, in respect of drought, since 2014-15, is as under:
(Rs. in Crore)
State 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Madhya Pradesh No memorandum 2032.68 No memorandum 836.09 No memorandum
Chhattisgarh No memorandum 1276.25 No memorandum 395.91 No memorandum
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