Parliament Question: Financial Assistance under NMEO-OP

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3875 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11TH AUGUST, 2026 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER NMEO-OP 3875. SHRI RUDRA NARAYAN PANY: 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 there will be increase in assistance under area expansion programme of Oil Palm taken up under National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm as the assistance provided is low; (b) whether the Government will consider more plantation of palm tree in Dhenkanal and Angul district of Odisha as these areas are thunder prone and are being affected by elephant menace; and (c) whether the Government will consider to plant more palm-tree in common remote and dense forest area to save the life of common villager and farmer from elephant menace? 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): Under the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), financial assistance for area expansion is provided to farmers as per the approved norms of the scheme. The assistance covers planting material, maintenance during gestation period and intercropping inputs. There is no proposal to increase assistance under the mission. (b): Under NMEO-OP, identification of suitable areas for oil palm cultivation is undertaken by the State Governments based on agro-climatic suitability, availability of irrigation, land suitability and other technical parameters. For 2026-27, the Government of Odisha has allocated target of 200 ha. for Dhenkanal and 100 ha. for Angul for Oil Palm plantation. (c): Under NMEO-OP, Oil palm cultivation is recommended on non-forest lands and agricultural lands. In initial years intercropping with other crops is undertaken. In mature plantations shade loving crops are being grown in some areas. The Government is not promoting oil palm cultivation in forest areas. *****