Government Schemes: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare

By Hemant Kumar|Updated : April 15th, 2020

Government Schemes launched by the Government of India with the aim of addressing the socio-economic welfare of the citizens of this nation. Such schemes play a very important role in solving many problems that beset Indian society and helps in achieving the goals to achieve welfare nation as enshrined in our Constitution. In this article, we will look at the complete list of schemes by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry launched in past years along with their objectives and some important features of the scheme. This is very crucial for the preparation of UPSC and State PCS exams as the number of questions from the Government schemes have increased in recent years.

Government Schemes: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare

Scheme Name

Objective

Few Points to remember

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana

The Scheme provides for payment of minimum pension of Rs 3000 per month to the eligible small and marginal farmers after the age of 60 years

  • The pension scheme is voluntary and contributory with an entry age of 18 to 40 years
  • The farmer can contribute monthly between Rs.55 to 200.  Central Government will also give an equal amount in the pension scheme
  • LIC will be the pension fund manager and responsible for the pension payout.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi(PM-KISAN)

The Scheme provides for the transfer of an amount of Rs. 6000/- per year in three equal instalments of Rs. 2000/

The amount will be sent directly into the bank account of beneficiary farmer families.

  • This is a Central Sector Scheme and will be funded fully by the Government of India.
  • The Scheme initially covered only small and marginal farmer families with landholding up to 2 hectares as beneficiaries, subject to certain exclusion criteria for higher-income status.
  • The Government later extended the Scheme with effect from 1st June 2019 to all farmer families irrespective of landholding size, subject to applicable exclusions.
  • Farmers through common service centre can register, edit the name on PM KISAN web portal

Soil Health Card Scheme

To issue soil health cards every three years, to all farmers of India, so as to address nutrient deficiencies in fertilization practices

  • It is a centrally sponsored scheme
  • Soil Health Card issued to farmers carries crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and fertilizers required for the individual farms.
  • It will check the status of his soil with respect to 12 parameters, namely N, P, K (Macronutrients).
  • Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendments required for the farm.

Kisan Credit Card(KCC)

To provide timely credit support from the banking system under a single window.

  • The loan disbursed under KCC is broad-based and can be used for short term credit requirements for cultivation of crops, and other expenses
  • The loans disbursed under the Kisan Credit Card Scheme for notified crops are covered under the Crop Insurance Scheme. 
  • The Kisan Credit Card has been extended to fisheries and animal husbandry farmers to help them meet their working capital needs. 
  • The Scheme covers the risk of KCC holders against death or permanent disability resulting from accidents caused by external, violent and visible means.
  • Self Help Groups(SHGs) and Joint Liability Groups are also eligible for this scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana

 Its objective is to achieve convergence in irrigation at the field level, 

To enhance the recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices.

  • The convergence of various Scheme such as Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program, On-Farm Water Management (OFWM),  Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)
  • Long Term Irrigation Fund has been started under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana in NABARD for funding and fast-tracking the implementation of incomplete major and medium irrigation projects.
  • It will be supervised by Inter-Ministerial National Steering Committee (NSC) under Prime Minister with Union Ministers of all concerned Ministries.

PM Fasal Bima Yojana

  • To provide the stability of income of the farmer
  • To provide insurance facility and financial support to the farmers in the event of natural calamities such as earthquake, pests & diseases.
  • To ensure the flow of credit to the agriculture sector.
  • Umbrella scheme of the insurance-related Scheme
  • It replaced all other insurance schemes that were existing except the Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme
  • The farmer has to pay a 2% premium for all Kharif crops and a 1.5% premium for all Rabi crops.
  • In the case of annual horticultural crops, the premium to be paid by farmers will be only 5%.
  • It is compulsory for the loanee farmer and voluntary for the non-loanee farmer
  • Post-harvest losses are also covered
  • Recently, the Government has comprehensively revised the Operational Guidelines of the Scheme.
  • The farmers will get 12% interest by the insurance companies for the delay in settlement claims after two months of the prescribed cut-off date. 

Strengthening and modernization of the pest management approach in India(SMPMA)

The aim is to minimize environmental pollution in soil, water, and air due to pesticides

Minimize occupational health hazards due to chemical pesticides

  • It is a central sector scheme launched with the following components
    • Integrated Pest Management
    • Locust Control and Research
    • Implementation of Insecticides Act, 1968
  • Implementing agency- 35 central Integrated Pest Management Centres

Interest Subvention Scheme

To provide short term crop loans at an affordable rate to give a boost to agricultural productivity and production in the country

  • It provides a concession of 2% per annum for short-term crop loans to farmers, up to Rs. 3 lakh at a 7% rate of interest.
  • An additional interest subvention of 3 percent per annum is given to the "prompt payee farmers."

PM Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan(PM-AASHA)

To plug the gaps in the procurement system, address issues in the MSP system and give better returns to the farmer

It has three components complementing the existing schemes of the Department of Food and Public distribution for the procurement of paddy, wheat, and other cereals and coarse grains where procurement takes place at MSP.

3 Components:

  • Price Support system(PSS)
  • Price Deficiency Payment Scheme(PDPS)
  • The pilot of private procurement and stockiest Scheme (PPSS)

PSS:

  • Under the PSS, physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and copra are to be done by Central Nodal Agencies.
    Besides, NAFED and Food Cooperation of India(FCI) will also take up the procurement of crops under the PSS.
  • The expenditure and losses due to the procurement will be borne by the Centre.

PDPS: 

  • Under the PDPS, the Centre proposes to cover all oilseeds for which MSP is notified.
    The difference between the MSP and actual selling/modal price will be directly paid into the farmer's bank account.
  • This scheme doesn't involve any physical procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/modal price on disposal in the notified market.

PPSS:

  • In the case of oilseeds, States will have the option to roll out PPSSs in select districts.
  • Under this, a private player can procure crops at MSP when market prices drop below MSP and whenever authorized by the state/UT government to enter the market.
  • The private player will then be compensated through a service charge up to a maximum of 15% of the MSP.

National Agricultural Higher Education Project

To attract talent and strengthen higher agricultural education in India

  • World Bank and the Indian Government are doing a project on a 50:50 basis.
  • The aim of the National Agricultural Higher Education Project for India is to support agricultural universities and ICAR in providing higher quality education to Agricultural University students.
  • In addition, a four-year degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, and Forestry has been declared a professional degree.

Krishi Kalyan Abhiyan

To assist and advice farmers on how to improve farming techniques and raise their incomes

  • It was undertaken in 25 villages with more than 1000 population each in aspiration districts identified with the help of the Ministry of Rural Development as per the direction of NITI Aayog.

ARYA Project

To attract and empower the Youth, in particular, the rural Areas to take up various Agriculture, allied and service sector enterprises for income and gainful employment in selected districts

  • The GOI launched ARYA – “Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture” in 2015.
  • It is implemented through Krishi Vigyan Kendra in one district from each State.
  • Agricultural Universities and ICAR Institutes will work as Technology Partners with KVKs
  • In a district, 200-300 Rural youths will be selected for their skill development in entrepreneurial activities and establishment of related micro-enterprise units

National Food Security Mission

Increasing the production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals, and commercial crops with the help of area expansion and productivity increase in a sustainable manner

It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme

launched with the objective to enhance the production of Rice, Wheat, Coarse Cereals, Pulses and also commercial crops (Jute, Cotton and Sugarcane).

Funding - 50:50 by Centre & State for food crops while 100% funding by centre for cash crops.

It was launched in 2007.        

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- RAFTAAR

To make farming a remunerative economic activity by strengthening the farmer's efforts, and promoting agri-business

  • It was started in 2007 as an umbrella scheme for the holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors, has been recently revamped as RKVY-RAFTAAR(Remunerative approaches for agriculture and allied sector rejuvenation for 2017-19 and 2019-20)

National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology

To make the extension system farmer driven

  • It is an umbrella scheme
  • It envisages strengthening the extension machinery through 4 sub-schemes:
    • Sub Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE)
    • Sub Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
    • Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)
    • Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine (SMPP)

National Mission on Bovine Productivity

To enhance milk production and productivity

  • It was launched in 2016 to boost milk production and increase productivity and making dairy more remunerative for farmers.
  • The Scheme is being implemented through the following four components
    • Pashu Sanjivani
    • Advanced Reproductivity technique
    • E-Pashu Haat portal
    • Establishment of National Bovine Genomic Centre for Indigenous Breeds

Rashtriya Gokul Mission

Enhancement of milk production and productivity

  • Breed improvement program for indigenous breeds to improve their genetic makeup and increase the stock
  • Upgradation of cattle using elite indigenous breeds like Gir, Sahiwal, Rathi, Deoni, Tharparkar, Red Sindhi
  • Establishment of Integrated Indigenous Cattle Centres or Gokul Grams in the native breeding tracts of indigenous breeds.
  • The Scheme is implemented on 100% grant-in-aid basis

Blue revolution: Integrated development and Management of Fisheries

To fully tap the total fish potential of the country both in the inland and the marine sector and triple the production by 2020

  • It is a Core Centrally Sponsored Scheme on Blue Revolution (the Neel Kranti Mission).
  • It is an umbrella scheme formulated by merging all the existing schemes
  • It aims at enhancing fish production from 107.95 lakh tonne (2015-16) to about 150 lakh tonne by the end of 2019-20.

Zero Hunger Program

The program aims to address the intergenerational and multifaceted malnutrition through sectoral coordination

  •  It will act as a model of an integrated approach to deal with hunger and malnutrition

National Agricultural Market(NAM)

Increases farmers' options to sell and access to markets

Liberal licensing of traders, buyers, and agents. A single license for traders is valid across all markets in the State.

  • NAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal that aims to network the existing APMCs and other market systems to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.
  • Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) has been selected as the main agency to implement it.
  • Central Government will give the software free of cost to the states, and with this, a grant of Rs. 30 lakhs per mandi or market or private mandis will be given for related equipment and infrastructure requirements.
  • 585 wholesale regulated markets/ APMC Markets have been so far integrated with the e-NAM platform in 16 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs).
  • For the local trade in the mandi/market, NAM provides the opportunity to access a larger national market for secondary trading.
  • The first inter-state trade on e-nam was carried out between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

National Innovations on climate-resilient agriculture

The aim is to enhance the resilience of Indian Agriculture covering crops, livestock and fisheries to climate change

  • It is a network of projects of ICAR
  • It takes into account the critical assessment of different crops in the country for the vulnerability of rainfall

Mission Fingerling

 

Under this mission, potential states are to be identified in order to strengthen the fish seed infrastructure as well as facilitate the establishment of hatcheries and Fingerling rearing pond.

Project CHAMAN

development to the horticulture sector for increasing farm's income

It is implemented by the National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC) using the remote sensing
technology

The Geo-Spatial Studies like crop intensification, orchard rejuvenation and aqua-horticulture are deployed for preparing reliable estimates of crop production.

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