(a) the details and extent of permanent loss of cultivable land area of Uttar Pradesh and Tripura during the last decade by way of erosion, unfertile silt deposition and diversion of river channel;
(b) whether any assessment has been made by the Union Government to ascertain the extent of such annual loss and damages, and if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the steps taken being taken by the Government to check such loss of cultivable land in UP and Tripura?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a): As per the latest data available on Land Use Statistics, details of cultivable land area of Uttar Pradesh and Tripura during the last decade is at Annexure.
(b) & (c): As per harmonized database of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS 2010), the extent of soil erosion (soil loss more than 10 tonnes/ha/yr) in Uttar Pradesh and Tripura is 13075 and 109 thousand hectares, respectively.
(d): As per the Seventh Schedule of Constitution of India, land comes under the purview of State Governments and, therefore, it is for them to take suitable steps to control / restrict the loss of agricultural land. However, Government of India supplements the efforts of States, through appropriate policy measures.
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In order to check decline in the cultivable area in the country, under the National Policy for Farmers – 2007 (NPF-2007), State Governments have been advised to earmark lands with low biological potential such as uncultivable land, land affected by salinity, acidity, etc., for non-agricultural development activities, including industrial and construction activities.
National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy – 2007 (NRRP-2007) has also recommended that as far as possible, projects may be set up on waste land, degraded land or un-irrigated land and acquisition of irrigated, multi-cropped agricultural land for non-agricultural uses may be kept to the minimum and avoided, to the extent possible.
Further, Ministry of Rural Development is implementing an Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) for development of rainfed/ degraded areas. From 2015-16, the IWMP has been converted as the Watershed Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). Department of Land Resources (DoLR) has sanctioned watershed development projects in 28 States (except Goa) [now 27 States and UTs of J & K and Ladakh], during the period 2009-10 to 2014-15 covering an area of about 39.07 million hectare under Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) including Uttar Pradesh & Tripura. IWMP was amalgamated as the Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) in 2015-16. No further watershed development project has been sanctioned from 2015-16 onwards. The activities undertaken inter alia include ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, rainwater harvesting, nursery raising, afforestation, horticulture, pasture development, livelihoods for assetless persons, etc. Since 2009-10, an amount of Rs.19690.82 Cr. has been released as Central share to the States (as on 27.01.2021). As per information received from the States, since 2014-15 to 2020-21 (upto Q 3), 7.09 lakh water harvesting structures have been created / rejuvenated. An additional area of 15.17 lakh ha has been brought under protective irrigation. The number of farmers benefited is 32.42 lakh during the said period.
Government of India is also implementing National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) with a view to prevent soil erosion, land degradation and also to maintain balance in various types of land uses across the country. Under this Mission, all type of land including waste land / barren land are developed with suitable need based soil and water conservation measures and partly such degraded lands developed are put to agricultural uses.
In order to bring waste/degraded land into cultivation, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed location specific bio-engineering soil & water conservation measures, land management techniques and agro-forestry interventions to reclaim degraded land and bring it under cultivation. The ICAR also imparts training, organises Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) etc. to educate farmers on all these aspects.