Parliament Question: Agricultural Expansion Services

O.I.H GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 5222 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24th MARCH, 2026 AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION SERVICES 5222. SHRI ADITYA YADAV: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष और (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी be pleased to state: (a) Whether the Government has taken notice of the severe lapse of agricultural expansion services, absence of trained agricultural officers, non-functional Krishi Vigyan Kendras and lack of awareness programmes regarding modern agricultural techniques in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh resulting in constant dependence on traditional agricultural practices, excessive use of chemical fertilizers, depletion of groundwater and reducing returns for the small and marginal farmers who make the majority of agricultural workforce; (b) If so, the details regarding complete pending agricultural expansion services, recruitment of officers, the number of training programmes conducted for the farmers including the details of participants, status of agricultural record digitization, implementation of proper agricultural techniques, organic farming initiatives taken along with the area covered in this regard as well as the financial assistance provided to the Farmer Producer Organizations in the said district; and (c) If not, the reason therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एव ं(cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR) (a) & (b): A Centrally Sponsored Scheme “Support to State Extension Programs for Extension Reforms” (ATMA) is being implemented by the Government of India in 734 districts of 28 states & 5 UTs for promoting decentralized and farmer-friendly extension system in the country since 2005-06 (Including all the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh along with Badaun district). The objective of the Scheme is to support State Government’s efforts and to make available latest agricultural technologies and good agricultural practices in different thematic areas of agriculture and allied areas (Including use of modern agricultural techniques) to farmers to modernize agriculture through different extension activities viz; Farmers Training, Demonstrations, Exposure Visits, Kisan Mela, Mobilization of Farmers Groups and organizing Farm Schools etc.During last three years i.e. 2022-23 to 2024-25, over 1.61 crore farmers have been benefitted through different extension activities under the ATMA Scheme in Uttar Pradesh State. As reported by the State Government of Uttar Pradesh, during the year 2025-26, 73435 farmers have been benefitted through 876 programmes conducted under Farmer Exposure, Kisan Mela, Kisan Goshities, Kisan Paathshaala and Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyaan in Badaun district. Two Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) have been established by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh, (one in Ujhani block and the other in Samrer block). Both the KVKs are functional. These KVKs conducted 853 frontline demonstrations and 3974 different extension activities including awareness programmes for dissemination of modern agricultural techniques among 17096 farmers of Budaun district during 2024-25. Further, the KVKs organized 189 training programmes on various modern agricultural techniques with participation of 4146 farmers during the same year. Besides, The KVKs also produced 462.59 quintals quality seeds of field crops and 1.02 lakh planting materials of horticultural crops and made available to the farmers to facilitate the adoption of modern agricultural techniques. As reported by State Government of Uttar Pradesh, under the agricultural expansion services, 12 Rajikiye Krishi Beej and Krishi Raksha Stores and 3 multipurpose seed stores and technology dissemination centers have been established across 15 different blocks of the district. These stores play an important role in promoting and disseminating good agricultural practices among farmers, thereby contributing to improved crop productivity and sustainable farming. As of now there is a Class-1 and a Class- 2 officer working in the agriculture department of the district. Additionally, four Senior Technical Assistant-Group A officers are there in the agriculture department of the district. From 2023 onwards, digital crop survey is being conducted across 885412 gatas (land parcels) in the district. The survey is carried out three times a year during the Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid seasons to record accurate information about the crops grown by farmers. State Government of Uttar Pradesh has reported that under the organic farming initiative, a total area of 3,000 hectares is being brought under cultivation, of which 2,000 hectares are being covered under the UP DASP scheme, while 1,000 hectares have been initiated by the agriculture department. In the financial year 2023–24, Badaun Farmer Producer Company Limited has been financially assisted with ₹60 lakh by the State agriculture department for the establishment of a seed processing plant in Kadarchowk block of the district. In addition, from the financial year 2021–22 to 2025–26, a total of ₹2.32 crore has so far been allocated as a subsidy for the establishment of a Farm Machinery Bank (farm mechanization) for 20 different FPOs in the district. (C): Because of the position stated above, the question does not arise. *****