Government of India is very concerned about agriculture and welfare of farmers and it is consistently working in collaboration with the State Governments to address various issues. Agriculture being a State Subject, Government of India supplements the efforts of States through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support. The Government has substantially enhanced the budget allocation of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare from Rs. 27,662.67 crore BE during 2013-14 to Rs. 1,32,469.86 crore BE during 2024-25.

Enhanced budgetary provisions have been made to facilitate the below mentioned efforts of the Government. The various schemes/ programmes of the Government of India are meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing production, remunerative returns and income support to farmers, which include:

1.         Income support to farmers through PM KISAN 

2.         Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojana (PMFBY)   

3.         Institutional credit for agriculture sector

4.         Fixing of Minimum Support Price (MSP) at one-and-a half times the cost of production

5.         Promotion of organic farming in the country        

6.         Per Drop More Crop             

7.         Micro Irrigation Fund

8.         Promotion of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)

9.         National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)

10.       Agricultural Mechanization

11.       Namo Drone Didi          

12.       Providing Soil Health Cards to farmers 

13.       Setting up of National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) extension Platform

14.       Launch of the National Mission for Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

15.       Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

16.       Improvement in farm produce logistics, Introduction of Kisan Rail.

17.       Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) - Cluster Development Programme

18.       Creation of a Start-up Eco system in agriculture and allied sector

19.       Achievement in Export of Agri and Allied Agri- Commodities

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has established five national level research institutes for conducting basic and strategic research on nine oilseed crops and 12 pulse crops for enhancing their productivity potential and tolerance/resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses and increasing their nutritional quality. For developing location (ecosystem) specific high yielding varieties and good management practices of oilseeds and pulses, seven multi- disciplinary all India coordinated research projects (AICRPs) are also being implemented in collaboration with the state agricultural universities. Consequently, a total of 383 high yielding climate resilient varieties/hybrids of oilseed crops and 398 varieties of different pulses have been released and notified for commercial cultivation during the last ten years (2014-2024). Varieties of pulses (mungbean and urdbean) and oilseeds (mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean and sunflower) of short maturity duration (60-100 days) along with photo-thermo insensitivity traits have also been developed, thus making them suitable for new niches, different seasons and different cropping sequences so as to enhance India’s cropping intensity.

Novel research activities for breaking yield barriers such as genome editing and fast- tracking development of improved mega-varieties of oilseeds and pulses through marker assisted breeding have also been taken up in these crops. Development of good agronomic practices such as application of secondary and micro-nutrients, post emergence herbicides, micro-irrigation, mechanization and minimizing the post-harvest losses are also done.

During the last five years (2019-20 to 2023-24), a total of about 153704 quintals breeder seed of indented varieties of oilseeds and 80205 quintals breeder seed of pulses were produced and supplied to the public/private seed agencies for conversion into certified quality seed for farmers. The ICAR is also engaged in augmenting the availability of quality certified/TFL seed of oilseeds and pulses for farmers through 185 district level seed hubs on oilseeds and pulses.

Government of India is implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) for holistic development of horticulture sector, under which financial assistance is provided for various horticulture activities including setting up of Pack Houses, Integrated Pack House, cold storages, Reefer Transport, Ripening Chamber etc. The component is demand/entrepreneur driven for which Government assistance in the form of credit linked back ended subsidy is available at the rate of 35% of the project cost in general areas and at the rate of 50% of the project cost in hilly and scheduled areas through respective State Horticulture Mission(s) (SHMs).

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

*****

SS/2334