**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha regarding a special project on cotton and soybean under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM). It provides details on funds released, districts and clusters covered, schemes for soybean farmers, and project assessments. The response indicates that the National Mission on Edible Oils- Oilseeds (NMEO-OS) was approved on October 3rd, 2024.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Special Project on Cotton:**
* A project targeting technologies to agro-ecological zones for enhancing cotton productivity is being implemented by ICAR-CICR, Nagpur.
* The project runs from 2023-24 under the National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM).
* Funds released to ICAR-CICR, Nagpur: Rs. 2093.42 lakhs (2023-24), Rs. 2548.94 lakhs (2024-25), and Rs. 1508.08 lakhs (2025-26, till November 2025).
* The project is implemented in major cotton-growing states, including Maharashtra.
* **Districts and Clusters:**
* The document provides a breakdown of districts and clusters covered under the Special Project on Cotton for All India and specifically in Maharashtra for the years 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26.
* This includes breakdowns for both High Density Planting System (HDPS) and Closer Spacing (CS) in Maharashtra.
* **National Mission on Edible Oils- Oilseeds (NMEO-OS):**
* The Government approved the NMEO-OS on October 3rd, 2024.
* The goal is to boost domestic oilseed production and achieve self-reliance.
* The mission will be implemented across the country, including Maharashtra, over seven years (2024-25 to 2030-31).
* It targets enhancing the production of key oilseed crops, including Soybean, Rapeseed-Mustard, Groundnut, Sunflower, Sesamum, Niger, Castor, and Linseed.
* It aims to increase the collection, extraction, and recovery efficiency from secondary sources like Cottonseed, Rice Bran, Corn oil and Tree Borne Oils.
* **Assessment of Project Impact:**
* The average productivity of cotton has increased in demonstrated plots using High Density Planting System (HDPS) and Closer Spacing (CS) technologies.
* HDPS increased productivity by 30.40% in 2023-24 and 39.81% in 2024-25.
* CS increased productivity by 39.15% in 2023-24 and 32.45% in 2024-25.
**Impact Analysis**
**ICAR-CICR, Nagpur**
* **Impact**
* Responsible for implementing the Special Project on Cotton.
* Received funds for the project in 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26.
* **Action Required**
* Continue implementing the Special Project on Cotton as per the established guidelines.
**Cotton Farmers in Major Cotton Growing States (Including Maharashtra)**
* **Impact**
* Benefit from the Special Project on Cotton through demonstrations of best practices and increased cotton productivity.
* **Action Required**
* Implement best practices, including HDPS and Closer Spacing (CS) technology to improve cotton yields.
**Soybean and Other Oilseed Farmers**
* **Impact**
* Benefit from the NMEO-OS mission designed to boost domestic oilseed production.
* **Action Required**
* Participate in the NMEO-OS programs to enhance the production of oilseed crops.
**Citizens of India**
* **Impact**
* Beneficiaries of efforts to increase the domestic production of edible oil and the associated self-reliance of the country.
* **Action Required**
* No action required.
Key Entities Referenced
National Food Security Mission (NFSM): A national mission under which the special project on cotton and soybean is funded.
National Mission on Edible Oils- Oilseeds (NMEO-OS): A government mission approved to boost domestic oilseed production.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The primary ministry responsible for the policy and answering questions related to it.
Maharashtra: A specific location of interest where the special project on cotton and soybean is being implemented.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)- Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur: The implementing agency of the Special Project on Cotton.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1537
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9TH DECEMBER, 2025
SPECIAL PROJECT ON COTTON AND SOYBEAN UNDER NFSM
1537. SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:
SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:
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 details of funds released for special projects related to cotton and soybean under
the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in the country, State-wise;
(b) the details of clusters and districts identified for implementation of special project on
cotton and soybean, especially those in Maharashtra;
(c) the details of clusters where High Density Planting System (HDPS) and Closer Spaced
Planting System for cotton which have been successfully implemented, especially those in
Maharashtra;
(d) the details of special schemes being implemented by the Government to uplift soybean
farmers; and
(e) whether the Government has conducted any assessment of the specific project to
evaluate the improvement in cotton and soybean productivity through project interventions, if
so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
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): A Special Project on Cotton titled ‘Targeting technologies to agro-ecological zones- large
scale demonstrations of best practices to enhance cotton productivity’ is being implemented
by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)- Central Institute for Cotton Research
(CICR), Nagpur from 2023-24 under National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)[erstwhile National Food Security Mission (NFSM)]. An amount of Rs. 2093.42 lakhs, Rs.
2548.94 lakhs and Rs. 1508.08 lakhs has been released to ICAR-CICR, Nagpur during 2023-
24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 (till November, 2025), respectively, for implementing the project.
The project is being implemented in major cotton growing states including Maharashtra.
(b) & (c): The details of districts and clusters covered under Special Project on Cotton is given
below:
Year All India Maharashtra HDPS in Closer Spacing (CS)
Maharashtra in Maharashtra
Districts Clusters Districts Clusters Districts Clusters Districts Clusters
2023-24 61 373 16 74 9 40 16 66
2024-25 65 461 16 115 11 62 15 105
2025-26 65 412 17 121 10 60 15 106
(d): The Government has approved the National Mission on Edible Oils- Oilseeds (NMEO-
OS), on 3rd October, 2024 to boost domestic oilseed production and to strive towards self-
reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in edible oils in the country for implementation all over the
country including Maharashtra over a seven-year period, from 2024-25 to 2030-31. The
objective of NMEO-Oilseeds is to enhance the production of key primary oilseed crops such
as Soybean, Rapeseed-Mustard, Groundnut, Sunflower, Sesamum, Niger, Castor and
Linseed as well as increasing collection, extraction and recovery efficiency from secondary
sources like Cottonseed, Rice Bran, Corn oil and Tree Borne Oils.
(e): The average productivity of cotton in the demonstrated plots of High Density Planting
System (HDPS) technology and Closer Spacing (CS) technology has increased by 30.40% &
39.15%, respectively during 2023-24 and by 39.81% & 32.45%, respectively during 2024-25
over conventional practice under the special project on cotton.
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