**Executive Summary:**
This document addresses concerns regarding the decline in agricultural land acreage in India. While cultivable land has marginally declined, the Net Sown Area has remained stable, and the Gross Cropped Area has significantly increased. The Indian government addresses land and agriculture through policy initiatives, budgetary assistance, and technological advancements while acknowledging that land management primarily falls under the jurisdiction of state governments.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Agricultural Land Statistics:**
* Net Sown Area has remained relatively stable.
* Gross Cropped Area increased from 201.3 million hectares in 2013-14 to 217.8 million hectares in 2023-24.
* Cropping intensity increased from 142.5 in 2013-14 to 156.8 in 2023-24.
* Food grain production rose from 246.42 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 353.96 million tonnes in 2024-25 (third advanced estimates).
* Horticulture production increased from 280.70 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 367.72 million tonnes in 2024-25 (second advanced estimates).
* **Government Initiatives:**
* The Department of Land Resources implements the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDCPMKSY) to develop rainfed degraded lands, approved on December 15, 2021.
* The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) develops technological measures to increase the area under cultivation, including bio-engineering, sand dune stabilization, and reclamation technology.
* ICAR promotes the gypsum technology package and agronomic measures to improve degraded soils.
* **Legal Framework:**
* Land and agriculture are state subjects under the Constitution of India.
* The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, restricts the acquisition of multi-crop irrigated land, requiring development of equivalent wasteland in exceptional cases.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **State Governments:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for taking appropriate measures to increase the area under cultivation and prevent the diversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes. Maintain data on conversion of agricultural land.
* *Action Required:* Implement policies and measures to prevent agricultural land diversion, increase cultivation area, and maintain relevant data.
* **Farmers:**
* *Impact:* Beneficiaries of government initiatives like WDCPMKSY and technological advancements from ICAR. Impacted by land acquisition under RFCTLARR Act, 2013, with provisions for compensation, rehabilitation, and resettlement.
* *Action Required:* Adopt new technologies and practices recommended by ICAR, and be aware of their rights and entitlements under the RFCTLARR Act, 2013, in case of land acquisition.
* **Central Government (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Department of Land Resources):**
* *Impact:* Supports state government efforts through policy initiatives, budgetary assistance, and the implementation of schemes like WDCPMKSY.
* *Action Required:* Continue to provide support to state governments, monitor the effectiveness of implemented schemes, and develop new policies and technologies to promote agricultural land use.
Key Entities Referenced
Harsimrat Kaur Badal: Member of Parliament who raised the question regarding decline in agricultural land.
Ramnath Thakur: Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare who provided the answer to the question.
Punjab: State in India specifically mentioned as experiencing a decline in agricultural land.
Land Use Statistics at a Glance 2023-24: Report providing data on land use and agricultural statistics.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDCPMKSY): Government of India scheme focused on watershed development and improving rainfed degraded lands.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): Organization involved in developing technologies to increase the area under cultivation and improve soil health.
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act, 2013): Central Government act regulating land acquisition for public purposes and providing compensation and rehabilitation.
Constitution of India: The fundamental law of India, which designates land and agriculture as state subjects.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2593
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 05TH AUGUST, 2025
DECLINE IN THE ACREAGE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND
2593. SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण
म(cid:287)ं ी be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government acknowledges the ongoing decline in the acreage of land
employed for agriculture across several States in the country particularly Punjab;
(b) the details of Factors identified by the Government as contributing to this
reduction, such as urbanization, land fragmentation and lack of effective land
consolidation policies;
(c) the details of specific steps that the Government have taken to prevent further
diversion of agriculture land for non agricultural purposes and the way by which these
measures are effective in reversing the trend; and
(d) the details of the steps that the Government intends to adopt to prevent misuse of
rural agriculture land in the name of drastic urbanization?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) & (b): As per the latest report on ‘Land Use Statistics-at a Glance 2023-24’,
despite marginal decline in cultivable/agricultural land, the Net Sown Area has remained
relatively stable over the years. Further, the Gross Cropped Area has expanded
significantly, rising from 201.3 million hectares in 2013-14 to 217.8 million hectares in
2023-24. Implementation of various government initiatives and technological
advancements have contributed to a continuous rise in cropping intensity. Cropping
intensity increased from 142.5% in 2013-14 to 156.8% in 2023-24, reflecting a positive
shift toward multiple cropping practices, highlighting farmers’ enhanced ability to cultivate
the same land more than once annually. Additionally, food grain production has risensignificantly, from 246.42 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 353.96 million tonnes in 2024-25
(third advanced estimates). Horticulture production has also increased from 280.70
million tonnes in 2013-14 to 367.72 million tonnes in 2024-25 (second advanced
estimates).
(c) & (d): Land and agriculture are the state subjects, as per Entry No. 18 of List II (State
List) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, land falls under the jurisdiction of
State Governments, which are responsible for taking appropriate measures to increase the
area under cultivation and prevent the diversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural
purposes. However, the Government of India supports these efforts through policy
initiatives and budgetary assistance.
Department of Land Resources is implementing Watershed Development
Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) which primarily
focuses on development rainfed/ degraded lands. The activities undertaken in the
scheme, inter alia, include ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture
conservation, rainwater harvesting, nursery raising, pasture development, livelihoods for
asset-less persons etc. The measures taken under WDC-PMKSY supplements the effort of
the Government to increase the area under cultivation. This scheme has been approved by
the Government on 15th December, 2021.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed several technological
measures to increase the area under cultivation. This includes location specific bio-
engineering to check soil erosion due to run-off of rainwater, sand dune stabilization and
shelter belt technology to check wind erosion and reclamation technology for problem soils
in the country. ICAR has also developed the gypsum technology package, consisting of
land levelling, bunding, flushing, removal of excess water, good quality irrigation water,
application of amendments, selection of crops and efficient nutrient management. ICAR
also recommends several agronomic measures to improve the degraded soils and bringing
them under crop cultivation, soil test based balanced and integrated nutrient management
through conjunctive use of both inorganic and organic sources (manner, biofertilizers etc.)
of plant nutrient and location specific soil & water conservation measures for preventing
deterioration of soil health and fertility.
The Central Government has enacted the Right to Fair Compensation and
Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013,
which came into force on 01.01.2014. Under this act, land can be acquired for public
purposes. Section 10 of the Act explicitly restricts the acquisition of multi-crop irrigated land,
unless in exceptional cases where no alternative land is available. In such cases,
equivalent wasteland must be developed for agriculture. Data on conversion of agricultural
land for non-agricultural purposes is maintained at the State level, as land is a State subject
under the Constitution. However, the RFCTLARR Act, 2013, strongly discourages such
conversions unless absolutely necessary. Wherever agricultural land is acquired,
compensatory mechanisms, including monetary compensation, rehabilitation and
resettlement benefits, and in some cases, land for land compensation, are provided to
mitigate the impact on farmers.
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