**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 294 in the Lok Sabha, addressing the progress of the Government of India's initiative to double farmers' income. The question was raised by SHRI SANATAN PANDEY, and answered by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on December 2nd, 2025. The response details the establishment of committees, strategies, and various schemes implemented to achieve this goal.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Committee Formation and Reports:**
* An Inter-ministerial Committee was formed in April 2016 to examine issues related to doubling farmers' income.
* The Committee submitted its report to the Government in September 2018.
* An Empowered Body was constituted on January 23rd, 2019, to monitor and review progress.
* **Strategies and Focus Areas:**
* The Committee on Doubling Farmers' Income (DFI) recognizes agriculture as a value-led enterprise.
* Seven major sources of growth have been identified:
* Improvement in crop productivity
* Improvement in livestock productivity
* Resource use efficiency or savings in production costs
* Increase in cropping intensity
* Diversification towards high-value crops
* Improvement in real prices received by farmers
* Shift from farm to non-farm occupations
* **Schemes and Initiatives:**
* Several initiatives aligned with the DFI Committee's recommendations have been implemented.
* All schemes/programmes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare are aligned to achieve the objectives of doubling farmers' income.
* The following schemes/programmes of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare are in place:
* Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
* Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
* Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
* Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
* Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
* Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs)
* National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
* Namo Drone Didi
* National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
* Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
* Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises' (AgriSURE)
* Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
* Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
* Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
* Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)
* Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
* Agroforestry
* Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)
* Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
* Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
* National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)
* Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
* Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
* National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm
* National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds
* Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region
* Digital Agriculture Mission
* National Bamboo Mission
* **Budget and State Support:**
* The Government of India supports the States through policy measures and budgetary allocations for schemes promoting farmers' welfare.
* The Government has substantially enhanced the budget allocation of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) from Rs. 21,933.50 crore BE during 2013-14 to Rs. 1,27,290.16 crore BE during 2025-26.
* **Income Assessment:**
* The estimated average monthly income per agricultural household increased from ₹6,426 in 2012-13 to ₹10,218 in 2018-19 (NSS 77th round).
* The Indian Council on Agricultural Research (ICAR) has documented success stories of 75,000 farmers who have more than doubled their income.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers (Small and Marginal)**
* **Impact:**
* Farmers are intended to benefit from increased income through improved productivity, better prices, and diversified income sources. The schemes aim to address challenges such as rising input costs, lack of fair prices, natural calamities, debt, and marketing problems.
* **Action Required:**
* Farmers should engage with the various schemes and initiatives offered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to improve their agricultural practices and income.
**Government of India (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare)**
* **Impact:**
* The ministry is responsible for implementing and monitoring the schemes and strategies to achieve the goal of doubling farmers' income.
* **Action Required:**
* The Ministry needs to continue implementing, monitoring, and refining the various schemes and initiatives to ensure they effectively contribute to increasing farmers' income.
**State Governments**
* **Impact:**
* State governments play a crucial role in implementing agricultural policies and schemes, as agriculture is a State subject.
* **Action Required:**
* State governments need to actively participate in implementing and supporting the central government's schemes for farmers' welfare through appropriate policy measures and budgetary allocations.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The primary government body responsible for the schemes and initiatives discussed in the document, aiming to improve the income of farmers.
Doubling Farmers Income: The overarching policy objective and the subject of the parliamentary question, aiming to increase farmers' income.
Inter-ministerial Committee on Doubling of Farmers Income: Committee constituted to examine and recommend strategies for doubling farmers' income.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN): A key scheme aimed at providing income support to farmers.
Indian Council on Agricultural Research (ICAR): An organization that released stories of farmers who doubled their income using schemes from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
O.I.H
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 294
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 02ND DECEMBER, 2025
DOUBLING THE INCOME OF FARMERS
294. SHRI SANATAN PANDEY:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष और (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण म(cid:287)ं ी
be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the Government had set a target to double the income of
farmers by the year 2022, if so, whether this target was achieved or not;
(b) whether it is also a fact that most of the small and marginal farmers are still in
distress due to rising input costs, non-availability of fair prices for their crops, natural
calamities, debt and marketing problems;
(c) whether the Government believes that the rural economy is being adversely affected
due to lack of desired improvement in the actual income of farmers; and
(d) if so, the review report of the efforts made so far?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष और (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य मं(cid:287)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (d): Government of India had constituted an Inter-ministerial Committee in April,
2016 to examine issues relating to “Doubling of Farmers Income” and recommended
strategies to achieve the same. The Committee has submitted its Report to the
Government in September, 2018. An Empowered Body has also been constituted on 23rd
January, 2019 to monitor and review the progress against the recommendations. The
Committee on Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI) recognises agriculture as a value led
enterprise and has identified seven major sources of growth, viz., improvement in crop
productivity; improvement in livestock productivity; resource use efficiency or savings in the
cost of production; increase in the cropping intensity; diversification towards high value
crops; improvement in real prices received by farmers; and shift from farm to non-farm
occupations. Several initiatives have already been rolled out on the recommendations of
DFI Committee. All Schemes/programmes of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
are aligned to achieve these objectives.Agriculture is a State Subject. Government of India supports the States through
appropriate policy measures and budgetary allocation for schemes for farmers welfare.
Schemes/ programmes of Government of India aim to increase production, provide
remunerative returns and income support to farmers. The Government has substantially
enhanced the budget allocation of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare(DA&FW)
from Rs. 21,933.50 crore BE during 2013-14 to Rs. 1,27,290.16 crore BE during 2025-26.
The following schemes/programmes of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
address the challenges like rising input costs, non-availability of fair prices for crops, natural
calamities debt and marketing problems faced by farmers, including small and marginal
farmers while enhancing farmers income :
1. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
2. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
3. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based
Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
4. Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
5. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
6. Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs)
7. National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
8. Namo Drone Didi
9. National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
10. Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
11. Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises’ (AgriSURE)
12. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
13. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
14. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
15. Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)
16. Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
17. Agroforestry
18. Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)
19. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
20. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
21. National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)
22. Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
23. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
24. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm25. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds
26. Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region
27. Digital Agriculture Mission
28. National Bamboo Mission
Indian Council on Agricultural Research (ICAR) has released a compilation of
success stories of 75,000 farmers who have increased their income more than two times
by convergence of schemes being operated by Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
and the allied Ministries/Departments.
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI) conducted a Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural
Households during NSS 77th round (January, 2019 – December, 2019) with reference to the
agricultural year July, 2018- June, 2019 in the rural areas of the country.
According to these surveys, the estimated average monthly income per agricultural
household increased from ₹6,426 in 2012-13 (NSS 70th round) to ₹10,218 in 2018-19 (NSS
77th round).
As per NSSO Survey on House hold Consumption Expenditure (2023-24), a
comparison of the estimates of all-India average Monthly Per Capita Consumption
Expenditure (MPCE) is as under:
Sector Average MPCE (Rs.) over different period
2011-12 NSS (68th 2023-2024
round)
Rural 1,430 4,122
Urban 2,630 6,996
Difference as % of 83.9 69.7
Rural MPCE
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