Parliament Question: Return to Farming

O.I.H. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 21 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22ND JULY, 2025 RETURN TO FARMING *21. SHRI IMRAN MASOOD: SHRI HARISH CHANDRA MEENA: 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 recently released Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data indicates that the persons from rural India who migrated but have returned back to farming due to lesser employment opportunities, if so, the details thereof; (b) the details of various steps planned by the Government to address the pressure on natural resources such as land and water due to the growing agricultural workforce and to promote sustainable agricultural practices across the country including Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan; (c) the details of measures being taken to support individuals particularly landless and small-scale farmers returning to agriculture for providing access to credit, training and infrastructure across the country including Rajasthan; (d) the strategy adopted/being adopted by Government to create alternative employment opportunities in rural areas to prevent overcrowding in the agriculture sector; and (e) the details of the initiatives implemented to enhance productivity in the agricultural sector and to integrate agro-processing and value chain development? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN) (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 21 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 22ND JULY, 2025 on “RETURN TO FARMING”. (a): As per the recent Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the percentage of labour work force engaged in agriculture and allied sector in 2023-24 was 46.07.% which shows very marginal increase in share over the previous year 2022-23 i.e. 45.76%. However, the share of workforce in agriculture and allied sector decreased to 46.07% in 2023-24 from 48.9% in 2011-12. (b): Agriculture being a State subject, the State Governments undertake implementation of agricultural schemes/programmes for the welfare of farmers and the Government of India also supplements these efforts through implementation of various central sector/centrally sponsored schemes/programmes. The Central Government has adopted and implemented the number of policies, reforms, developmental programmes for agriculture sector in the country for farmers including landless and small-scale farmers in terms of access to credit, training, and infrastructure such as: 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’ (Agri SURE) 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 Palm 25. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds 26. Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region 27. Digital Agriculture Mission28. National Bamboo Mission Further, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare through its programmes and schemes has targeted to bring in production efficiency for small and marginal farmers in the country including Rajasthan. Sustainable farming practices, prototype integrated farming system models and organic farming packages cropping systems have been developed to provide technological backstopping to small and fragmented land holdings. The developed models increase the income of the farmers with cost reduction for inputs related to fertilizers. Further, Agriculture being a State subject, the State Government undertake implementation of agricultural schemes/programmes for the welfare of farmers including landless farmers and the Government of India also supplements these efforts through implementation of various central sector/centrally sponsored schemes/programmes. The various schemes/programmes are meant to support States for the welfare of farmers by increasing production, remunerative returns and income support to farmers. Moreover, Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) promotes water use efficiency at the farm level through Micro Irrigation technologies i.e. drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Rajasthan is one of the best performing State in implementation of PDMC in the Country. So far, an area of 10.58 lakh hectare has been covered under Micro Irrigation with release of Central Assistance of Rs.1,604.11 crore. During the current year (2025-26) Central assistance of Rs.198.74 crore allocated to the Rajasthan State and Rs. 99.37 crore has been released as 1st installment so far. Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme is being implemented as a component under NMSA from 2014-15 in the country. RAD focuses on Integrated Farming System (IFS) for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic variability. Further, Rs.1,801.00 lakhs of Central Assistance has been allocated to the Rajasthan State for implementation of RAD during the current year. The First installment of Rs.900.00 lakhs has been released to the State for the FY 2025-26. Soil Health Card (SHC)/Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme is operational through the State Governments under National Project on Management of Soil Health & Fertility. Now, this scheme has been merged as Soil Health Component of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) from the year 2022-23. The main objective of the scheme is to assist states in promoting Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) through judicious use of chemical fertilizers including secondary and micro nutrients in conjunction with organic manures & bio-fertilizers for improving soil health and its productivity. (c): The schemes which support all farmers including landless and small-scale farmers are the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) & Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme. The government is implementing a 100% centrally funded Central Sector Scheme known as the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) across various States and UTsin pan India including Rajasthan. This scheme aims to provide concessional interest rates on short-term agricultural loans obtained by farmers through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) for their working capital requirements. Under this scheme, farmers (including landless and small scale farmers) receive KCC loans at a subsidized interest rate of 7%. To facilitate this, an up front interest subvention (IS) of 1.5% is provided to financial institutions. Additionally, farmers who repay their loans promptly receive a 3% Prompt Repayment Incentive (PRI), effectively reducing the interest rate to 4% per annum. Further, Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is organizing a number of trainings for farmers (on & off-campus) on 'Importance of Agriculture' and 'Improved Farm Practices' through on farm testing. The Government is implementing Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) scheme in the Country with mandate of working as Single Window Agricultural Knowledge, Resource and Capacity Development Centre. As part of its activities, the KVKs impart training to the farmers, farm women and rural youth on different aspects of agriculture and allied sectors (Crop Production, Horticulture, Soil Health and Fertility Management, Livestock Production and Management, Home Science/Women empowerment, Agril. Engineering, Plant Protection, Fisheries, Production of Input at site, Agro forestry) for their capacity building. The Government has set up 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in the country including 47 KVKs in Rajasthan and one KVK in Sawai Madhopur (d): The Government has launched various schemes aiming to make agriculture & allied sector more viable in rural areas which include, many programmes/scheme for overall development in livestock/animal husbandry, dairy, fishing/aquaculture and agri-forestry sector. In addition to this, the Government of India has taken various steps for generating employment in rural areas of the country like encouraging private sector of economy, fast- tracking various projects involving substantial investment and increasing public expenditure on schemes. The list of the schemes is given as under: i. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) ii. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) iii. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) iv. Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI) v. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY- NRLM) vi. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) vii. Jan Sikhshan Sansthan (JSS) viii. National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) ix. Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) x. National Health Mission (NHM) xi. National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) xii. Samagra ShikshaMoreover, through industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country including rural areas. (e): In order to increase the agricultural productivity, Government of India is implementing the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) in 28 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs) viz. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The objective of NFSNM is to increase production of foodgrains through area expansion and productivity enhancement. Under this scheme, the incentives are provided to the farmers, through the States/UTs, on crop production and protection technologies, cropping system-based demonstrations, distribution of certified seeds of newly released varieties/hybrids, integrated nutrient and pest management techniques, improved farm implements/tools/resource conservation machineries, water saving devices, capacity building of farmers through trainings during cropping season, etc. Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) National Mission on Edible Oils-Oilseeds (NMEO-OS) an initiative aimed at boosting domestic oilseed production for implementation all over the country to strive toward self-sufficiency in edible oil production. The Government is implementing Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) in all the States/UTs and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) to promote sustainable & organic farming. The schemes stress on end-to- end support to farmers engaged in organic farming i.e. from production to processing, certification & marketing and post harvest management. Training and Capacity Building are integral part of the scheme. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is encouraged eco-friendly approach, which is an encompassing cultural, mechanical, biological and need based chemical control measures. Central Integrated Pest Management Centres located in 28 States and 2 UTs train farmers on IPM. The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (Agri Infra Fund) helps to expand agro-based industries in villages by providing financial support and low-interest loans for developing infrastructure such as cold storage, warehouses, and processing units. The fund supports modem agricultural practices and technology adoption, boosting productivity and promoting diversification into various agro-based sectors aiming to transform rural agriculture, enhance market access, and improve the livelihoods of farmers. It encourages entrepreneurship among farmers, FPOs, and start-ups, creating job opportunities. *****