Parliament Question: National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

O.I.H GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS’ WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS’ WELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 363 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 21st JULY, 2026 NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

363. SHRI DULU MAHATO:

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 due to extensive coal mining and underground fires in Jharia, Katras and Baghmara areas of Dhanbad, cultivable land has become barren and unsuitable for cultivation;

(b) whether any special budgetary package has been allocated for reviving soil health in mining affected rural areas (like Tundi and East Tundi) of Dhanbad under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture;

(c) the number of affected farmers of Dhanbad district covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana that have received direct benefits of the PM-KISAN scheme during the last three years; and

(d) Whether the Ministry proposes any special action plan to address the irrigation crisis in the tribal dominated rural areas of Dhanbad and to promote organic farming under the 'Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana'? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) & (b): As reported by Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Ministry of Coal, coal mining operations are being carried out in the Jharia, Katras and Baghmara areas of Dhanbad district, where legacy underground fires also exist in certain locations. BCCL has conducted Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and prepared Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) for its mining projects, based on which Environmental Clearances have been obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). As per the assessment, no adverse impact on cultivable land in these areas has been indicated. Further, the EMPs contain provisions for safeguarding environmental components, including agricultural land in the buffer areas, from pollution arising out of coal mining activities. Under Soil Health and Fertility scheme 17928 Soil Health cards have been generated in Dhanbad Districts from 2023-24 to 2025-26 to promote soil health.(c): The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) are independent schemes with separate objectives and implementation mechanisms. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), was not under implementation in the State in 2023-24. In 2024–25, 1,46,277 farmers were enrolled under the Scheme, of whom 5 affected farmers received claim benefits.

During 2025–26, 77,902 farmers were enrolled under the Scheme and claims are under settlement. Further, under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM- KISAN), Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) are as under in Dhanbad district:

Installment Period No of Beneficiaries 2023-24 (April-July) 30,454 2023-24 (August -November) 37,075 2023-24 (December-March) 44,841 2024-25 (April-July) 51,033 2024-25 (August -November) 56,888 2024-25 (December-March) 65,714 2025-26 (April-July) 58,738 2025-26 (August -November) 58,056 2025-26 (December-March) 62,129

(d): There is no proposal under consideration for a special action plan exclusively for the tribal-dominated rural areas of Dhanbad district. However, organic farming is being promoted in Jharkhand, under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2015-16. The scheme provides end-to-end support to farmers engaged in organic farming, covering production, processing, certification and marketing. It promotes the formation of organic farming clusters with preference to small and marginal farmers.

Under PKVY, assistance of ₹31,500 per hectare is provided over a period of three years, of which ₹15,000 per hectare is provided directly to farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for on-farm/off-farm organic inputs. Till date, 28,300 hectares have been covered and 32,699 farmers have been benefited under the scheme in the State.

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