Question : TARGET FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

(a) whether the Government has set any target for enhancing agricultural production of coarse grain, cotton, foodgrains, oilseeds, paddy, pulses, sugarcane, wheat in the country during each of the last three years and the current year;

(b) if so, the details and the achievement in this regard alongwith the average production of the above items during the said period;

(c) the efforts and strategy made/being made by the Government to make the country self-reliant in foodgrain production and to improve the economy of the farmers; and

(d) the assistance being provided to the States for increasing the production of foodgrains in the country, State-wise?

MINISTER AGRICULTURE (SHRI SHARAD PAWAR)

(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. To enhance agricultural production and productivity of foodgrains in the country, Government of India has fixed crop production targets for the years 2009-10 to 2011-12, in respect of coarse grain, cotton, foodgrains, oilseeds, paddy, pulses, sugarcane, wheat, viz a viz details of achievements, which are indicated at Annexure-I.

(c) & (d): For making the country self-reliant in production of foodgrains, various Crop Development Schemes and Programmes like National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Integrated Scheme of Oilseed, Pulses, Maize and Oil palm (ISOPOM), Mini Mission-II of Technology Mission on Cotton, Integrated Cereals Development Programme for Rice/Wheat/Coarse Cereals under Macro Management of Agriculture and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) are being implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation through State Governments. In 2010-11, in addition to above mentioned schemes, two new programmes, Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India and Integrated Development of 60000 Pulses and Oilseeds Villages in Rainfed Areas have been initiated under RKVY. National Food Security Mission has been strengthened with the merger of pulses component of ISOPOM. A new programme Accelerated Pulses Production programme (A3P) in the form of block demonstrations has been started to cover 1000 unit of 1000 hectare each of five pulses crops in 16 pulses growing States of the country. The statements indicating assistance provided to state governments under National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Mini Mission-II of Technology Mission on Cotton, Macro Management of Agriculture (MMA) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) are given at Annexure-II.