Executive Summary:
This document is the Indian government's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4322 regarding special agricultural indices, answered on August 19, 2025. It details the percentage of rural families dependent on agriculture, government measures to increase agricultural productivity and farmer income, and the review process for existing agricultural schemes, particularly in Uttar Pradesh. The response highlights various government initiatives and budgetary allocations aimed at improving the agricultural sector.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Dependence on Agriculture:** Approximately 54% of rural households in India depended on agriculture as their principal source of income during July 2018-June 2019.
* **Government Monitoring:** The government monitors agriculture through metrics like Gross Value Added, Gross Capital Formation, crop productivity, area sown, irrigation, insurance penetration, credit flow, and mechanization.
* **Government Initiatives:** The Government of India supplements state efforts through policy measures, budgetary support, and various schemes to enhance farmer welfare and make agriculture more remunerative.
* **Budgetary Support:** The budget allocation for the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DAFW) has increased from Rs. 21,933.50 crore in 2013-14 to Rs. 1,27,290.16 crore in 2025-26.
* **Comprehensive Scheme Coverage:** Schemes cover credit, insurance, income support, infrastructure, crops (including horticulture), seeds, mechanization, marketing, organic farming, irrigation, and digital agriculture.
* **Minimum Support Prices (MSP):** MSPs for Kharif, Rabi, and other commercial crops have been increased to ensure a minimum return of 50% over the cost of production since 2018-19.
* **Expansion of Cropped Area:** Gross Cropped Area has increased from 201.3 million hectares in 2013-14 to 217.8 million hectares in 2023-24.
* **Improved Cropping Intensity:** Cropping intensity has risen from 142.5 in 2013-14 to 156.8 in 2023-24.
* **Foodgrain and Horticulture Production:** Foodgrain production is estimated at 353.96 million tonnes (2024-25), and horticulture production is estimated at 367.72 million tonnes.
* **Scheme Review:** Major schemes are regularly monitored and evaluated through independent agencies, with feedback used for revamping.
* **NITI Aayog Monitoring:** NITI Aayog monitors schemes under the Output-Outcome Management Framework (OOMF).
* **Progress Tracking:** Progress is tracked via Quarterly Progress Reports (QPR), field inspections, and periodic reviews.
* **List of Schemes:** Annexure includes a list of Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DAFW).
Impact Analysis:
* Farmers:
* Impact: Benefit from increased income support, access to credit and insurance, improved infrastructure, and better prices for their produce.
* Action Required: Participate in available schemes and adopt modern technologies to enhance productivity.
* State Governments:
* Impact: Responsible for implementing agricultural development measures and farmer welfare programs within their respective states, with support from the central government.
* Action Required: Implement and monitor agricultural schemes, coordinate with the central government, and adapt policies to local needs.
* Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DAFW):
* Impact: Oversees the implementation and monitoring of various agricultural schemes and policies.
* Action Required: Continue to implement and monitor schemes, allocate budget effectively, and adapt programs based on feedback and evaluation.
* NITI Aayog:
* Impact: Monitors the progress of various schemes under the Output-Outcome Management Framework (OOMF).
* Action Required: Track progress against defined targets, provide measurable indicators for scheme objectives, and recommend improvements based on evaluations.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for agriculture and farmers' welfare.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the unstarred question was addressed.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India, specifically mentioned in the context of scheme evaluation and agricultural development.
National Statistical Office (NSO): Agency that conducted the Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households.
NITI Aayog: A policy think tank of the Government of India, involved in monitoring and evaluating government schemes.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKISAN): A central government scheme that provides income support to small and marginal farmers.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): A government-sponsored crop insurance scheme.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): A scheme to provide medium-long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee.
O.I.H
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4322
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19TH AUGUST, 2025
SPECIAL AGRICULTURAL INDICES
4322. SHRI. DAROGA PRASAD SAROJ:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एव ं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण
म(cid:287)ं ी be pleased to state:
(a) the percentage of rural families depending on agriculture for their livelihood in the
country;
(b) whether the Government is considering focusing on special agricultural indices, if
this percentage is more than 70% so as to increase the agricultural productivity and
income of the farmers, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has adopted multi pronged strategy to develop
agriculture and rural scenario indices to track the progress of the existing schemes,
particularly in Uttar Pradesh;
(d) whether the Government has evaluated major programmes, particularly in Uttar
Pradesh, to make changes wherever necessary, and
(e) if so, the outcome thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एव ं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) & (b): As per the latest Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural
Households, conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) during the 77th round of
NSS (January 2019 – December 2019), approximately 54% of rural households in India
were dependent on agriculture (including cultivation and livestock) as their principal
source of income during the agricultural year July 2018 – June 2019.
The Government monitors the agriculture sector in country through several metrics
such as Gross Value Added and Gross Capital formation in agriculture, productivity of
various crops, area sown, cropping intensity, area under irrigation, insurance penetration,
credit flow to agriculture sector, the degree of mechanization and technology in farming
practices, etc.Agriculture being a State Subject, the State Government take appropriate measures
for development of agriculture and welfare of farmers in the States. However, Government
of India is committed to enhance the welfare of farmers and making agriculture more
remunerative. Government of India supplements the efforts of States through appropriate
policy measures and budgetary support and various schemes/ programmes. Government
has adopted and implemented several policies, reforms, developmental programmes and
schemes for achieving higher incomes for the farmers directly or indirectly and making it a
profitable business. The Government has substantially enhanced the budget allocation of
Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare(DA&FW) from Rs. 21933.50 crore BE during
2013-14 to Rs. 1,27,290.16 crore BE during 2025-26. The various schemes/ programmes
of the Government of India are meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing production,
remunerative returns and income support to farmers. These schemes encompass entire
spectrum of agriculture including credit, insurance, income support, infrastructure, crops
including horticulture, seeds, mechanization, marketing, organic and natural farming, farmer
collectives, irrigation, extension, procurement of crops from farmers at minimum support
prices, digital agriculture etc. Additionally, Government had increased MSPs for all
mandated Kharif, Rabi and other Commercial crops with a minimum return of 50 percent
over all India weighted average cost of production from 2018-19 onwards. List of Central
Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes being implemented by Department of Agriculture
& Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is given at Annexure.
Due to the successful implementation of various government programmes and
schemes, the Gross Cropped Area in the country has expanded significantly, rising from
201.3 million hectares in 2013-14 to 217.8 million hectares in 2023-24. The adoption of
modern technologies and effective policy interventions has also led to a continuous
improvement in cropping intensity, which has risen from 142.5% in 2013–14 to 156.8% in
2023–24, reflecting a positive shift toward multiple cropping practices, highlighting farmers’
enhanced ability to cultivate the same land more than once annually. Furthermore, as per
the third advance estimates for 2024–25, foodgrain production is estimated at 353.96 million
tonnes, and horticulture production, as per the second advance estimates, is placed at
367.72 million tonnes.(c) to (e): The review and monitoring of various schemes is a continuous process. Major
schemes are regularly monitored and evaluated through independent agencies/ institutes
and revamped on the basis of the feedback. An evaluation of centrally sponsored schemes
in Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors was conducted by the Development
Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog in 2020. The report found that the
centrally sponsored schemes implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare highly relevant for the development of agriculture sector as well as welfare of
farmers and therefore, recommended for its continuation. In addition, NITI Aayog monitors
the progress of various schemes under the Output-Outcome Management Framework
(OOMF) of the Government of India. The Framework endeavours to provide measurable
indicators for achievement of scheme objectives, or the 'Outcomes', actively tracking
progress against defined targets. Furthermore, mechanisms such as Quarterly Progress
Report (QPR), Field Inspection and Periodic Reviews are also undertaken to track the
progress and review the performance of various schemes.Annexure
STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PART (c) to (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO. 4322 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19/08/2025 REGARDING ‘SPECIAL
AGRICULTURAL INDICES’.
Major schemes/programmes meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing
production, remunerative returns and income support to the farmers:
1. National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)
2. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm
3. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds
4. National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
5. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
6. Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)
7. Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
8. Agroforestry
9. Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)
10. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
11. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
12. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
13. National Bamboo Mission
14. National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
15. Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region
16. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
17. Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
18. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
19. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
20. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based Crop
Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
21. Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
22. Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
23. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
24. Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs)
25. Namo Drone Didi
26. Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises (AgriSURE)
27. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
28. Digital Agriculture Mission
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