Total cropped area increases from 201.18 million hectares to 219.16 million hectares

Mumbai : 30 July 2024

As per the latest published ‘Land Use Statistics-at a Glance 2012-13 to 2021-22’, the area under agricultural land in the country has marginally reduced from 180.62 million hectares in 2018-19 to 180.11 million hectares in 2021-22. However, as per Seventh Schedule of Constitution of India, land comes under the purview of State Governments, therefore, State governments are to take suitable steps to check diversion of arable land for non-agricultural purposes. However, Government of India supplements the efforts of States, through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support. Under the National Policy for Farmers-2007 (NPF-2007), State Governments have been advised to earmark lands with low biological potential such as uncultivable land, land affected by salinity, acidity, etc., for non-agricultural developmental activities, including industrial and construction activities.

The National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy–2007 (NRRP, 2007) has also recommended that as far as possible, projects may be set up on waste land, degraded land or un-irrigated land. Acquisition of irrigated, multi-cropped agricultural land for non-agricultural uses may be kept to the minimum or avoided to the extent possible.

The Government has adopted and implemented several policies, reforms, developmental programmes and schemes for development of agriculture and farmers directly or indirectly in the country, including State of Maharashtra. The unprecedented enhanced budgetary provisions have been made to facilitate the following efforts of the Government:

1. Income support to farmers through PM KISAN

2. Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojana (PMFBY)

3. Institutional credit for agriculture sector

4. Fixing of Minimum Support Price (MSP) at one-and-a half times the cost of production

5. Promotion of organic farming in the country

6. Per Drop More Crop

7. Micro Irrigation Fund

8. Promotion of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)

9. National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)

10. Agricultural Mechanization

11. Providing Soil Health Cards to farmers

12. Setting up of National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) extension Platform

13. Launch of the National Mission for Edible Oils – Oil Palm

14. Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

15. Improvement in farm produce logistics, Introduction of Kisan Rail.

16. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) – Cluster Development Programme.

17. Creation of a Start-up Eco system in agriculture and allied sector

18. Achievement in Export of Agri and Allied Agri- Commodities

19. Central sector Scheme Namo Drone Didi

As a result of efforts made by the Government under various schemes/programmes to enhance production and productivity in the agriculture sector, the total cropped area in the country including state of Maharashtra has increased in the same period from 201.18 million hectares to 219.16 million hectares. Similarly, as per 3^rd Advance Estimates for the year 2023-24, food grains production in the country has also increased from 2,852.09 lakh tonnes during the year 2018-19 to 3,288.52 lakh tonnes in 2023-24.  The State wise details of agriculture land, cropped area and food grain productionare given at Annexures I & II.

Annexure-I

Annexure-I referred in reply to part (c) & (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 1254 regarding‘Expansion of Agriculture Land’ due for an answer on 30/07/2024

State and year wise Agri. Land and Cropped area in (000 Hectares)

Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Annexure-II

Annexure-II referred in reply to part (c) & (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 1254 regarding‘Expansion of Agriculture Land’ due for an answer on 30/07/2024

DL/PM

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