Rajya Sabha List of Questions for WRITTEN ANSWERS to be asked at a sitting of the Rajya Sabha to be held on Friday, September 18, 2020/ Bhadra 27, 1942 (Saka) (Ministries : Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Chemicals and Fertilizers; Commerce and Industry; Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; Food Processing Industries; Panchayati Raj; Railways; Rural Development; Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) Total number of questions -- 160 Remunerative prices to farmers for horticulture crops 641 Dr. Banda Prakash: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether the production of horticulture crops like vegetables and flowers have increased in recent years in the country; (b) if so, the details of production of potatoes, tomatoes and onions during the last three years; (c) whether the farmers are getting remunerative prices for their produces at the time of bumper production; and (d) if not, the reasons therefor? New steps for doubling farmers' income 642 Shri P. Bhattacharya: Dr. Amee Yajnik: Shri Vijay Pal Singh Tomar: Lt.Gen. (Dr.) D. P. Vats (Retd.): Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) the number of farmers whose claims have been paid across the country including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat till date under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, State-wise; (b) whether Government has set a target of doubling of farmers' income by the year 2022; (c) if so, the steps taken so far to achieve this target within time-limit along with the new steps proposed to be taken in this regard; and (d) the details thereof along with the status in this regard? Impact of COVID-19 on farmers 643 Shri Mallikarjun Kharge: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on farmers’ income; (b) the steps that are being taken by Government to ensure that the farmers’ income is not 157 158 impacted by the lockdown measures; (c) whether all steps are being taken to ensure that the health and hygiene of farmers is not impacted while carrying out farming activities, and (d) the details of steps taken by Government to educate the farmers about the dangers of COVID-19? Schemes for increasing productivity of fruits and vegetables 644 # Shri Neeraj Dangi: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) the production of vegetables and fruits in the country during the last three years, State- wise; (b) the schemes/programmes being implemented for increasing the production and productivity of vegetables and fruits; (c) whether Government plans to provide assistance in the marketing of vegetable and fruits, so that the growers of vegetables and fruits may get remunerative prices for their products; (d) if so, the assistance provided by Government in this regard; and (e) the steps taken by Government for encouraging research in the field of production of vegetables and fruits in the country, the details thereof? Reduction in the income of farmers 645 # Smt. Phulo Devi Netam: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that agriculture work was hampered in many States due to reverse migration during the period of lockdown; (b) if so, the quantum of crop damage suffered by farmers along with the details of reduction in the income of farmers; and (c) the number of farm labourers who underwent reverse migration and the scheme to bring them back, the details thereof? Damage to crops due to locust attack 646 # Shri Satish Chandra Dubey: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that locust has caused a huge damage to crops throughout the country during the last two years till date, if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and (b) the amount of compensation paid by Government to those affected farmers whose crops have been destroyed? Productivity of irrigated and non-irrigated agricultural land in the country 647 Shri Prasanna Acharya: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) the total amount of agricultural land in the country, State-wise; (b) the percentage of irrigated land and the sources of irrigation; and (c) the per acre productivity of irrigated and non-irrigated agricultural land of major crops like paddy, wheat, maize, etc.? 159 Productivity of crops in Darjeeling region 648 Smt. Shanta Chhetri: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether the Darjeeling hill region is one of the richest in the country in having hot cash crops such as cardamom, ginger, broomstick, orange and plum, high quality organic vegetables, flowers, orchids, silk cocoons and medicinal plants; (b) if so, the steps taken by Government to enhance productivity of these crops; (c) the steps taken to improve farming methods and quality of life of the farmers of that region; and (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? Monetary support to farmers and agriculture start-ups 649 Dr. Vinay P. Sahasrabuddhe: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) the steps that have been undertaken by Government to ease the concerns of the farmers since the nation-wide lockdown announced in March, 2020; (b) the amount of monetary support that has been provided by Government for the farmers during the lockdown period, State-wise; and (c) the steps that have been undertaken to help agriculture start-ups and companies to carry on their businesses during the lockdown? Extension of time to repay standard short-term agri-loan 650 Shri Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has extended the time again and again to facilitate farmers to repay standard–short term agri-loan given to them due to COVID-19 pandemic; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) whether Government has received any request/representation from the farmers to further extend the time to repay their loan; and (d) if so, the details thereof and Government’s action in this regard? Sops and exemptions under PM-KISAN Scheme 651 Shri T.G. Venkatesh: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether the attention of Government is drawn to the matter of announcement of PM- KISAN Scheme with a view to increase the income of the farmers; (b) if so, the details thereof; and (c) the details of the sops and exemptions being given under this scheme? Setting up of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund 652 Shri T.G. Venkatesh: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether the attention of Government has been drawn to the matter of announcement of setting up of ₹ 1 lakh crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund with a view to increase the income of farmers and to achieve empowerment; (b) if so, the details thereof; and 160 (c) the detail of the sops and exemptions being given under this scheme? Remunerative prices for farmers' produces 653 Shri Sushil Kumar Gupta: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that in the midst of an economic slump, reflected through the tumbling of GDP figures for the first quarter of this financial year, agriculture has emerged as the only bright spot thereby our country is expected to be heading towards another record harvest; (b) if so, the steps that are being taken to ensure that the farmers get remunerative prices for their produce; and (c) the measures that have been taken to encourage farmers towards continuing to maintain this trend in future too? Beneficial cropping patterns 654 Shri Sushil Kumar Gupta: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has any plan to advise farmers about the most beneficial cropping patterns using real-time and historical data about demand and supply of agricultural produce; and (b) if so, the details thereof and the works being done by various administrative and scientific agencies of Government? Success rate of e-NAM 655 Shri Sushil Kumar Gupta: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that one of the biggest factors hindering farmers' profitability is the lack of direct access to markets that offer the right value for their produce; (b) whether it is also a fact that middlemen eat into the profits of farmers from sales; and (c) the present status and success rate of the electronic National Agriculture Market (e- NAM) which is supposed to help farmers sell directly to users, thereby ensuring that they get the right price for their produce? Steps taken to make agriculture sustainable 656 Shri Sushil Kumar Gupta: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that Government needs to accelerate its efforts to ensure that it reaches its goal of empowering farmers to decide what crop to sow, and making agriculture sustainable; and (b) if so, the steps that have been taken in the last three years in this direction? Strengthening of ICAR 657 Shri Sushil Kumar Gupta: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), in conjunction with its network of over 700 Agricultural Universities or Krishi Vigyan Kendras 161 (KVKs), has been at the forefront as a hub for knowledge