Parliament Question: Lack of Modern Agricultural Facilities

O.I.H GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 316 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 21ST JULY 2026, LACK OF MODERN AGRICULTURAL FACILITIES 316. SHRI RAM SHIROMANI VERMA: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware that farmers in aspirational and flood affected districts like Shravasti and Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh are facing lack of irrigation and storage, cold storage, agricultural mechanization and modern agricultural facilities and if so, the steps taken for development of the said facilities: (b) whether special benefits have been provided to the farmers of the said districts under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, and other schemes and if so, the district-wise details during the last three years, (c)whether any special action plan has been formulated by the Government to ensure timely availability of certified seeds, fertilizers, DAP manure and agricultural machinery to the farmers and if so, the details thereof; and (d) whether the Government is considering the implementation of any new scheme to expand cooperative societies, agricultural processing, value addition, storage, and agricultural marketing to increase the income of farmers? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR) (a) & (b): The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) of the Government aims to quickly and effectively transform 112 most under-developed districts across the country including Shravasti and Balrampur districts of Uttar Pradesh through convergence, collaboration and competition strategies. Agriculture and water being a State subject, development of irrigation and agricultural infrastructure is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments. However, the Government of India supplements the efforts of the States through various Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes these include, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), PM- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) etc. Farmers in aspirational districts, including Shravasti and Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh, are eligible for assistance under various schemes being implemented based on the Annual Action Plans prepared by States for holistic and sustainable development of agriculture. Under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), the Saryu Nahar Pariyojana has been completed under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) in December, 2023, creating an irrigation potential of 11.72 lakh hectares benefiting different districts of Uttar Pradesh including Shravasti and Balrampur. Under Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme, 820 hectares have been covered under micro-irrigation in Balrampur and 322 hectares in Shravasti during last three years. Further, under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), organic farming has been promoted inBalrampur and Shravasti districts benefitting 628 and 940 farmers till date, respectively. In addition, under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), 23 clusters covering 1,150 hectares with 2,875 beneficiary farmers have been taken up in Balrampur, whereas 20 clusters covering 1,000 hectares with 2,500 beneficiary farmers have been taken up in Shravasti, along with establishment of one Bio-Input Resource Centre (BRC) in each district to facilitate supply of natural inputs and promote adoption of natural farming practices. (c): The Government has taken several measures to ensure timely availability of quality agricultural inputs, including certified seeds, fertilizers and agricultural machinery. For effective fertiliser availability, advance assessment and allocation of fertilizers, Nutrient based subsidy, Urea subsidy, Neem coating of urea, Point of Sale (PoS), provision of ‘other costs’, in coordination with fertiliser manufacturers, importers and State Governments are undertaken by Department of Fertilisers. For Quality seed availability, the Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP) now subsumed under National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSM), SATHI portal etc. is implemented by Central Government. Further, financial assistance is provided for purchase of agricultural machinery and equipment under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) and performance testing of machinery and equipment’s is mandated for the schemes through Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes (FMTTI’s). For effective inputs management regular review meetings with State Governments and stakeholders are held to ensure timely availability of agricultural inputs. As per the information from State Government timely availability of certified seeds, DAP, and agricultural machinery are ensured. Certified seeds are distributed to farmers selected via an e-lottery process following their booking on the designated portal. During the 2024-25 financial year, a total of 62,521.23 quintals and in the 2025-26 financial year 67,264.2 quintals of seed were distributed (combining Rabi and Kharif seasons) was distributed to farmers in Shravasti District. The distribution of Kharif fertilizers is being carried out based on the farmer registry. Fertilizers are being distributed to farmers at the government-prescribed rates of 7 bags of Urea and 5 bags of DAP per hectare in the Shravasti District. In the 2024-25, 8,991 MT and in the financial year 2025-26, 10,291 MT of material were distributed. Under SMAM, farmers are selected via an e-lottery system for registered farmers. A total of 404 farmers have benefited from the scheme over the past three financial years. (d): The Government is implementing several initiatives to strengthen farmer institutions with aim for quality input provisioning, post-harvest management and agricultural value chains, storage of agricultural produce and capacity building by applying principle of Economies of scale for increasing income of farmers. These include Formation and promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) under the Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) for financing warehouses, cold storages, primary processing centres and other post-harvest infrastructure, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) for production and post-harvest management and cold chain infrastructure and Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) and e-NAM for improving agricultural marketing. These interventions are aimed at improving market access, reducing post-harvest losses, enhancing value addition and increasing farmers' income. *****