Question : Availability of Seeds at Lower Prices

(a) whether the Government has launched any scheme to provide seeds at lower prices to the farmers living below the poverty line, if so, the details thereof;

(b) the number of such farmers benefited by the scheme during the last three years and the current year;

(c) whether the Government has utilized the services of Non-Governmental Organisations to provide seeds to the farmers, if so, the details of such organisations;

(d) whether the Government has fixed any time period for these organisations to execute the task; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the other steps taken by the Government to provide high yielding seeds, fertilizers and irrigation facilities to farmers at lower prices in order to make agriculture a profitable profession in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. The existing Seed Village Programme under National Mission on Agriculture Extension and Technology to upgrade the quality of farm saved seeds by providing Foundation Seed/Certified Seed for one acre per farmer including the farmers living below the poverty line @50% subsidy for cereal crops and 60% subsidy for pulses, oilseeds, green manure and fodder crops is already implemented.

The details of number of farmers benefitted during the last three years and the current year are as under:
Year Number of farmers benefited
2014-15 3556857
2015-16 2120235
2016-17 1645924
2017-18 1992285
Total 9315301
Contd…2/-



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(c): No, Madam.
(d): Question does not arise.
(e): To make agriculture profitable steps had been taken by the Government through existing various crop development programmes/schemes viz: National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India (BGREI), National Mission on Oilseed & Oilpalm (NMOOP), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance/subsidy are provided to high yielding seeds for making available to farmers and the details are as under :

Quantity in Lakh Quintals
Year Production/Availability
2014-15 351.77
2015-16 343.52
2016-17 380.29
2017-18 419.41
To ensure adequate availability of subsidized fertilizers the month-wise demand is assessed and projected by the Department of Agriculture, Co-operation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) in consultation with the State Governments before commencement of each cropping season. Accordingly, the Fertilizers is allocated in sufficient and adequate quantities to the States by issuing monthly supply plan and continuously monitors the availability.
The Government is implementing Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) (from 01.07.2015) Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) has two major segments i.e. ‘Micro-irrigation’ including efficient water application systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, and ‘Other Interventions’ which include micro-water storage structures, drought proofing and ground water replenishment measures, restoration potential of existing water bodies, conveyance and distribution of water are being promoted. District Irrigation Plans (DIPs) shall be the cornerstone for planning and implementation of PMKSY. So far, all 675 nos. of DIPs have been prepared.
In 2017-18 an amount of Rs.2662.91 crore has been released for micro irrigation and other interventions. 65195 water harvesting structure has been created and 110513 ha area brought under protective irrigation potential.

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