The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi, has given its ex-post facto approval to provide an additional 50 days of
unskilled manual work in the financial year over and above the 100 days assured
to job card holders, in such rural areas where drought or natural calamities
have been notified. This will enable States to provide additional wage
employment to the rural poor in drought affected areas. The poorest rural
households will benefit from this, as it will help in immediate absorption of
rural seasonal unemployment, and reduce rural distress.
To provide immediate relief to farmers, in view of the deficit
monsoon during Kharif 2015, the Government of India has already taken a number
of decisions. Orders on these measures have already been issued to all State
Governments, which will implement them on the basis of assessed need. The
various decisions are:
1.
Diesel Subsidy Scheme for farmers in affected areas:
It has been decided to provide diesel subsidy to farmers to enable
them to provide life saving irrigation through diesel pump sets in drought and
deficit rainfall areas to protect standing crops (allocation of Rs.100 crore). Farmers
in the affected regions will be covered during the current South-West monsoon
period till 30th September, 2015. The scheme on Diesel Subsidy will
be implemented with the participation of the State Governments/UT
Administration, with a view to offset the cost of diesel used for pumping water
for providing supplementary irrigation/protective irrigation. The scheme will
be applicable to such districts/talukas/areas where the rainfall deficit is
more than 50 percent as on 15th July, 2015, (as reported by the India
Meteorological Department); to such districts/talukas/areas, which have been
declared as drought affected area by the respective State Govt./ UT
Administration; areas with prolonged dry spell continuously for 15 days, i.e.
scanty rainfall (deficit of 60 percent or more of normal) for any continuous 15
days period, after the onset date of Monsoon as per reports of IMD. It is
proposed to provide 50 percent subsidy on the cost of diesel (Rs 2000 per
hectare) to affected farmers, limited to a maximum of two hectares per farmer.
The cost of assistance provided shall be shared between the Government of India
and the State Government/UT Administration concerned on 50:50 basis.
2.
Enhancement of ceiling on Seed subsidy: Enhancement of ceiling on Seed subsidy. In order to compensate
farmers in drought affected districts for the additional expenditure incurred
in the sowing and /or purchasing appropriate varieties of drought resistant
seeds, it has been decided to raise the extant ceiling on seed subsidy by 50
percent over existing levels for distribution in drought notified districts.
The enhancement is valid till 31.12.2015.
3.
Interventions for saving perennial horticulture
crops: Appropriate input
support measures will be provided to rejuvenate water stressed horticulture
crops, with an additional allocation of Rs.150 crore. The scheme is to be
implemented in all drought affected districts / blocks in the country which are
covered under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), being
implemented by Dept. of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare. Farmers
in drought affected districts/ blocks will be provided assistance at the rate
of Rs.6000/- per hectare as per cost norms for a maximum area of two ha per
beneficiary, for taking up appropriate combination of interventions. Assistance
so provided through subsidy shall be shared between the Government of India and
the State Government/UT Administration concerned on 50:50 basis.
4.
Implementation of additional fodder development
programme: Assistance will be
provided for additional interventions for production of fodder for mitigating
adverse impact of drought on livestock (allocation of Rs.50 crore). Farmers in
drought affected districts/ blocks will be provided assistance at the rate of
Rs.3200/- per hectare as per cost norms for a maximum area of two ha per
beneficiary for taking up additional production of fodder in these
districts/blocks. Assistance so provided through subsidy shall be shared
between the Government of India and the State Government/UT Administration
concerned on 50:50 basis.
5.
Flexible allocation under RKVY and other centrally
sponsored schemes: States
have been advised to keep aside about 5 to 10 percent of fund allocated under
the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) for undertaking appropriate
interventions, if the situation so warrants, to minimize the advance impact of
an aberrant monsoon on the agriculture sector. 10 percent of the allocation
under Centrally Sponsored Scheme may be utilized in flexible manner by States
to meet contingent requirement arising out of deficient rains.
6.
Crop contingency plan:
Ministry of Agriculture, through ICAR-Central Research Institute
for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad has prepared detailed crop
Contingency Plans for 600 districts. States have been advised to prepare/
update/ fine-tune Contingency Plans for each district in consultation with
CRIDA-ICAR and 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 e.g. tying up
availability of seeds and other inputs for implementing Contingency Plans. As
seen from the experience of last year, these are highly useful in case of a
deviant monsoon. These plans are available at the website of Dept. of
Agriculture & Cooperation, Minstry of Agriculture as well as Central
Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad.
7.
Advisories to the states:
State Governments have already been 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,
replacing/repairing faulty pumps. States have also been requested to carry out
periodic assessment of preparation for Kharif crops, particularly contingency
crops and also investment made in water conservation structure under various
schemes like Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWWP) to verify their
utility in harvesting the rainfall.
8.
Availability of seeds and other inputs for Kharif,
2015: Availability
of seeds and other inputs is being monitored / reviewed on a continuous basis
in the weekly Crop Weather Watch Group (CWWG) meetings being held in the
Department of Agriculture. Weekly video conference with States is also being
held to get first-hand information about State’s preparedness and to advise
States appropriately whenever needed.
9.
SMS Advisory: The Ministry, through the m-kisan portal sends SMS advisories to
registered farmers. These advisories include weather based SMS advisories,
advisories to suggest measures to minimize adverse impact of extreme weather
event. Ministry through various operators has sent about 700 crores SMS in the
last one year. These SMS are sent by ICAR/SAU, KVK, AMFU etc. and district
level state Government officials.
10.
Crisis management plan for drought for the year 2015:
A Crisis Management Plan (CMP) for Drought has been in place and
is available at the website of Dept. of Agriculture & Cooperation, Min. of
Agriculture. The plan has also been updated recently in consultation with
Stakeholder Ministries/Departments. The Agriculture Minister has also requested
all Chief Ministers, vide his letter dated 12.05.2015, to direct the officers
concerned to expedite preparation of State level Management Plans on Drought.
11.
SDRF/NDRF funds - First Instalment of SDRF released:
The State Government is primarily responsible for providing
necessary relief in the wake of natural calamities. Government of India
supplements the efforts of state Governments with financial assistance. For
undertaking relief measures, funds are available with State Governments in the
form of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Additional financial assistance,
over and above SDRF, is considered from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF)
for natural calamities of severe nature and is approved on the basis of
Memorandum received from the State Government in accordance with established
procedure, keeping in view items and norms in vogue for assistance. The first
instalment of SDRF has already been released to State Governments. SDRF funds,
besides others, can also be used for emergency supply of drinking water in
rural and urban areas, as per the approved guidelines.
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NW/AKT/SH