**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to Unstarred Question No. 2745 in Lok Sabha, concerning the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). The answer, provided by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, details the implementation status, steps taken to promote climate resilience, subsidies for micro-irrigation, impact on water usage, and awareness initiatives for soil health. The answer is provided as of December 16th, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA):**
* The government is implementing NMSA to promote climate resilience and water-efficient cropping patterns.
* Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme aims to increase water use efficiency through micro-irrigation technologies.
* Rainfed Area Development scheme focuses on Integrated Farming System for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic variability.
* The Soil Health & Fertility scheme assists states in promoting Integrated Nutrient Management.
* Organic farming is promoted through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) and National Mission on Natural Farming.
* Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, Agroforestry & National Bamboo Mission also promote climate resilience in agriculture.
* Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana along with weather index based Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme provide insurance cover against crop failure due to natural calamities.
* **Climate Resilient Agriculture:**
* The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is implementing National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) since 2011 to study the impact of climate change on agriculture.
* District-level risk and vulnerability assessments of agriculture to future climate change are being undertaken.
* 651 agricultural districts were assessed, with 310 identified as vulnerable.
* ICAR has released 2900 varieties tolerant to biotic and/or abiotic stresses in the last 10 years (2014-2024).
* **Micro Irrigation Subsidies (PDMC):**
* Financial assistance under PDMC is provided at 55% for Small & Marginal farmers and 45% for other farmers for micro-irrigation installation.
* The total central assistance released to States/UTs under the PDMC scheme over the past five years is Rs. 10568.7 crore.
* **Impact of PDMC:**
* An impact evaluation study on PDMC showed relevance in achieving national priorities such as improved on-farm water use efficiency, enhanced crop productivity, employment opportunities, and overall farmer income enhancement.
* Micro-irrigation adoption helped to improve water use efficiency (30%-70%) and water saving (30%-50%).
* **Soil Health and Fertilizer Use:**
* The government promotes judicious and balanced fertilizer use through the Soil Health & Fertility Scheme.
* Soil Health Cards (SHCs) are issued to farm holdings to encourage integrated nutrient management.
* Trainings, demonstrations, and campaigns are conducted to create awareness among farmers for adopting recommendations on judicious use of fertilizers.
* To date, 93,781 farmer trainings, 6.80 lakh demonstrations, and 7,425 melas/campaigns on SHC recommendations have been conducted.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers**
* **Impact:** Farmers benefit from climate-resilient farming practices, micro-irrigation subsidies, insurance coverage, and awareness programs on soil health and fertilizer use. These initiatives aim to improve water use efficiency, enhance crop productivity, minimize risks associated with climate variability, and provide financial support in case of crop loss.
* **Action Required:** Farmers should participate in training programs, adopt recommendations from Soil Health Cards, and utilize available subsidies for micro-irrigation systems.
**States/UTs**
* **Impact:** States/UTs receive financial assistance under the PDMC scheme to promote micro-irrigation and are responsible for implementing the Soil Health & Fertility scheme. They benefit from the guidance and support provided by national missions and schemes to enhance agricultural sustainability and climate resilience.
* **Action Required:** States/UTs should effectively implement the PDMC scheme, promote integrated nutrient management through the Soil Health & Fertility scheme, and ensure that farmers have access to training and resources for sustainable agriculture practices.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA): A Government of India scheme promoting climate resilience and water-efficient cropping patterns.
Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): A component of NMSA focused on increasing water use efficiency through micro-irrigation technologies.
Soil Health Card (SHC): A scheme under the Soil Health & Fertility scheme which are issued to farm holdings to encourage integrated nutrient management.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare: The primary ministry responsible for the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana: A comprehensive insurance cover against crop failure.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS’ WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS’ WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2745
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16TH December, 2025
NATIONAL MISSION ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
2745. SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS’ WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the status of the implementation of the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture across
the country;
(b) the steps taken to promote climate-resilient and water-efficient cropping patterns among
farmers;
(c) the details of the subsidies provided for micro-irrigation systems during the last five years;
(d) the impact of these measures on the reduction of water usage for irrigation; and
(e) the steps taken to create awareness about soil health cards and the use of bio-fertilizers?
ANSWER
THE 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 Government is implementing National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture
(NMSA) to promote climate resilience and water efficient cropping pattern. Under NMSA, Per
Drop More Crop(PDMC) scheme is to increase water use efficiency at the farm level through
micro irrigation technologies i.e. drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Rainfed Area
Development scheme focuses on Integrated Farming System for enhancing productivity and
minimizing risks associated with climatic variability. The Soil Health & Fertility scheme assists
states in promoting Integrated Nutrient Management through judicious use of chemical fertilizers
in conjunction with organic manures & bio-fertilizers. Organic farming is promoted through
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for
North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) and natural farming through National Mission on Natural
Farming. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, Agroforestry & National Bamboo
Mission also promote climate resilience in agriculture. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana along
with weather index based Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme provide a
comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop by providing financial support to
farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of unforeseen natural calamities and adverse
weather incidence.Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has been implementing a project-
National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) since 2011. The project
studies the impact of erratic monsoons, extreme weather events and climate change on
agriculture. District level risk and vulnerability assessment of agriculture to future climate
change and integrated simulation modelling studies for estimating the future projections of
climate change are undertaken. Risk and vulnerability assessment of agriculture to climate
change has been carried out for 651 predominantly agricultural districts as per
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) protocols. 310 districts were identified
as vulnerable out of which 109 districts have been categorized as ‘very high’ and 201
districts as ‘highly’ vulnerable. To address the impact of climate change, ICAR has released
2900 varieties during last 10 years (2014-2024). Out of these 2661 varieties are tolerant to
one or more biotic and/or abiotic stresses.
(c): Under PDMC financial assistance @ 55% for Small & Marginal farmers and @ 45% for
Other farmers is provided for installation of Micro Irrigation. Central assistance for subsidies
provided to the States/UTs under PDMC scheme during the past five years are as under :
Year Central Assistance released(Rs. in crore)
2021-22 1796.12
2022-23 1901.37
2023-24 2103.50
2024-25 2793.37
2025-26 (so far) 1974.34
Total 10568.7
(d): The impact evaluation study on PDMC revealed that the scheme is relevant in
achieving national priorities such as improving on-farm water use efficiency, enhancing
crop productivity, generating employment opportunities and overall income enhancement
of farmers. Micro irrigation adoption helped to improve water use efficiency in the range of
30%- 70% and saving of water in the range of 30% -50%.
(e): Government promotes judicious and balanced use of fertilizers through the Soil
Health & Fertility Scheme, under which Soil Health Cards (SHCs) are issued to all farm
holdings to encourage integrated nutrient management. Based on the recommendations
on Soil Health Card, trainings, demonstrations, and campaigns are conducted to create
awareness among the farmers for adopting recommendations on judicious use of fertilizers.
So far, 93,781 farmer trainings, 6.80 lakh demonstrations, and 7,425 melas/campaigns on
SHC recommendations have been conducted.
****