Parliament Question: Status and outcomes of crop diversification initiatives

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 80 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 06/02/2026 STATUS AND OUTCOMES OF CROP DIVERSIFICATION INITIATIVES *80. SHRI RAJINDER GUPTA Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state: (a) the details of Central and Centrally Sponsored Schemes aimed at promoting crop diversification, scheme-wise; (b) the area covered under crop diversification during the last three years, crop-wise, State/UT- wise and year-wise, indicating the original and alternative crops; (c) the number of beneficiaries and the financial assistance provided under these schemes, scheme-wise and State/UT-wise; (d) whether assured procurement, price support or market linkages are provided for the alternative crops promoted, if so, the details thereof; and (e) the further measures proposed to strengthen and expand crop diversification efforts across regions? ANSWER MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN) (a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) to (e) OF THE RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 80 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 06/02/2026 REGARDING “STATUS AND OUTCOMES OF CROP DIVERSIFICATION INITIATIVES” (a) to (e): The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing the Crop Diversification Programme (CDP), which is a centrally sponsored scheme under the Pradhan Mantri- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) in the Original Green Revolution States viz; Haryana, Punjab & Uttar Pradesh since 2013-14 to divert the area of water guzzling paddy crop to alternative crops like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, nutri cereals, etc. The primary objective of the scheme is to demonstrate and promote improved production technologies of alternate crops for diversion of paddy cultivation as well as to restore soil fertility through cultivation of leguminous crops that generate heavy biomass and consume lesser nutrients. Under CDP, assistance is given for alternative crop demonstration, farm mechanization and value addition items, for site specific activities and for awareness, training etc. The programme is being implemented in the districts having more than 50,000-hectare paddy area to give more emphasis to divert paddy area. CDP was extended for diversifying tobacco crop in the major tobacco growing states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal from 2015-16. In view of the negligible area under tobacco cultivation, the states of Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana and Odisha have not availed this scheme from 2022- 23. From 2022–23 to 2024–25, Alternate Crop Demonstrations were conducted over a total area of 23247 hectares for paddy and tobacco replacement under the CDP. Area diverted from paddy and tobacco under CDP is enclosed at Annexure-I. The financial Assistance under CDP is provided & the cost norms are enclosed at Annexure-II. CDP being a centrally sponsored scheme is implemented by the concerned states covered under the program and beneficiary details are not available centrally. The Government of India is further encouraging crop diversification among farmers through the state governments to grow crops such as pulses, coarse cereals, nutri cereals (Shree Anna) under the National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM), oilseeds under the National Mission on Edible Oil (NMEO)-Oilseeds and horticultural crops under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). The Government of India also provides flexibility to the states, for state specific needs/priorities under the Pradhan Mantri – Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY). The states can promote crop diversification under the PM- RKVY with the approval of State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC). The Mission on Atmanirbharata in Pulses and PM-DDKY also address Crop Diversification through their interventions, convergence policies. Further, DA&FW has approved a pilot project on “Crop Diversification” for five years (2023- 24 to 2027-28) under NFSNM through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research (ICAR-IIFSR), Modipuram with a total outlay of Rs.1326.60 lakhs. The Government fixes minimum support prices (MSPs) for 22 mandated agricultural crops including coarse cereals, pulses, oilseeds etc to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for theirproduce. To improve the farmers’ market access for agricultural produce, including coarse cereals and oilseed crops, the Government has taken many steps, namely (i) expanding outreach of e- NAM in the mandis and beyond the mandis and (ii) promoting FPOs, specially commodity specific FPOs for oilseed and millets to provide the market linkage to the farmer-members of these FPOs. Apart from this, the Government is also strengthening post-harvest and marketing infrastructure under various schemes namely Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) under the Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) scheme, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). As per Guidelines the Department of Food and Public Distribution on procurement, allocation, distribution and disposal of coarse grains, States are allowed to procure Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Barley, Ragi and six minor millets from farmers at MSP under the central pool subject to the prior approval of Government of India, in consultation with Food Corporation of India (FCI). Further, Government implements Price Support Scheme (PSS) under Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanskaran Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) for procurement of pulses, oilseeds and copra at Minimum Support Price (MSP) Scheme across the country. Pulses namely, Tur, Urad and masoor are being procured upto 100 percent under Price support scheme (PSS) of PM-AASHA scheme since 2023- 24. Crop diversification is being addressed in all possible ways through various Central Government schemes such as the Crop Diversification Programme (CDP), Mission for Atmanirbharata in Pulses, National Mission on Edible Oils–Oilseeds (NMEO–OS), and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) etc. In addition, States are actively promoting crop diversification through their own initiatives, including Mera Pani Meri Virasat in Haryana and the Crop Diversification Programme–Megalift Irrigation Projects (CDP-MLIP) in Odisha. Further, Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) scheme covers 100 selected aspirational districts across the country, through convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 Departments, other State schemes and local partnerships with the private sector. Under PMDDKY, Crop diversification is one of the main objectives.Annexure-I. Area diverted under Crop Diversification Programme during the year 2013- 14 to 2024-25 Year Alternative Crop Demonstrations (ha.) 2013-14 109723 2014-15 196821 2015-16 98537 2016-17 39406 2017-18 65014 2018-19 35345 2019-20 13604 2020-21 73758 2021-22 40593 2022-23 5747 2023-24 14019 2024-25 3480 Total 696047Annexure-II. Pattern of Assistance under Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) a) CDP in Original Green Revolution States Sl. Component/Intervention Rate of Assistance No. 1. Alternate crop demonstrations i. Pulses Pulse Mission cost norms (Rs.10000/ha) ii. Oilseeds NMEO-Oilseed norms (Groundnut @ Rs.14,000/ha, Soybean @ Rs.10,000/ha, Sunflower @ Rs.9,000/ha, Sesame/Castor/Niger @ Rs.8000/ha) iii. Coarse/Nutri cereals NFSNM norms (i) For variety Rs.7500/ha (ii)For Hybrid of Maize Rs.11500/ha iv. Cotton NFSNM norms Demonstration on Integrated Crop Management (ICM)/ intercropping/ natural colour cotton @ Rs.8000/ha, on Desi & ELS Cotton @ Rs.9000/ha, on HDPS @10000/ha) v. Agro forestry system as sole crop Rs. 10,000/ha vi. Plantation of trees on farm bunds Cost of saplings limited to Rs.2000/ha vii. Inter cropping with agro forestry Rs. 5000/ha system 2. Farm Mechanization &Value According to norms approved under Sub- Addition Mission on Agricultural Mechanization / any Centrally Sponsored Scheme / State scheme 3. Site Specific Activities (like According to norms approved under any underground pipe line, maize dryer, Centrally Sponsored Scheme / State scheme seeds for green manuring, etc.) 4. For awareness training, etc. According to norms approved under any Centrally Sponsored Scheme / State scheme b) CDP for replacing tobacco farming with alternate crops/cropping system Tobacco growing States may take up suitable activities/interventions for replacing the tobacco to alternate crops/cropping system as per the cost norms approved under any Centrally Sponsored Scheme/State Scheme. **********