"Agriculture Scenario in Eastern India Review and Future Prospects“ Presented by Additional Chief Secretary Government of Chhattisgarh Department of Agriculture New Delhi 06 April, 2015

Agriculture Scenario in Chhattisgarh–An Overview Agro Climatic Zones  Sub-divided into three agro climatic zones.  Geog. area :138 lakh ha.  Forest cover :63.36 lakh ha. (46%)  Net sown area :47.75 lakh ha. (35%)  57 % soil is medium to light.  Average rainfall :1327 mm.a  Net Irrigated Area: lakh ha (35%)  Cropping Intensity : 138%  Farm families:37.46 lakh  76% small & marginal Farmers own 34% land  32% ST, 12 % SC  LWE affected districts : 18 districts. Northern Hills Zone Chhattisgarh Plains Zone Bastar Plateau Zone 1

Growth Rate in Agriculture Sector during 10 th, 11 th & 12 th Plan Constant Value) Sector 10 th Plan11 th Plan12 th Plan (Two years) ChhattisgarhNationalChhattisgarhNationalChhattisgarhNational Agriculture Source : Department of Economics & Statistics, C.G.

Major State Initiatives for Agriculture Development 1. Separate Agriculture Budget for agriculture and allied departments/agencies. Budget provision ( ) Rs. 8,496 crore, Rs. 10,676 crore 2.Agriculture Credit : Cooperative / Rural Banks disbursing interest free short term loan. Credit disbursed ( ) Rs. 243 crore, Rs crore 3.Interest free loan given to Markfed for pre positioning of chemical fertilizers to ensure adequate and timely supply. Budget Provision ( ) Rs. 400 Crore, Rs. 300 Crore. 4. Assistance to State Marketing Federation and State Civil Supply Corporation to compensate losses incurred in procurement of Paddy at MSP. Budget provision ( ) Rs. 1,452 crore, – Rs. 3,102 crore 3

5.Pump Energisation: (i)Assistance for energization of irrigation pumps. Budget provision ( ) Rs. 158 crore Rs crore (ii) Assistance to State Power Distribution Co. Ltd. for providing free/subsidized electricity to farmers having irrigation pumps upto 5HP. Budget provision ( ) Rs. 300 crore Rs. 1,230 crore 6.Provision of Quality Seed: (i)Budget provision to provide incentives to seed growers and farmers on Production and Distribution of quality seed. Production and distribution subsidy for Rice - Rs. 500 per qtl. Production subsidy for Pulses - Rs. 1,000 per qlt. Production and Distribution subsidy for Oilseeds - Rs. 1,000 per qtl. ParticularsUnit XI Plan ( ) Total Total EnergizationNos1,42,00021,00022,00020,0002,05,000 Irri. Area ExpansionHa.1,22,00018,00018,50017,5001,76,000 Budget provision ( ) Rs. 45 crore Rs crore Particulars % increase over Production Distribution Contd... 4

Major Interventions under BGREI ( to ) 1.Transfer of Improved Technology Block Demonstration on Rice- 3,92,622 Ha - Rs. 22, Lakh Productivity of Rice (Kg/Ha) ,276 2,168 2.Rain Water harvest Construction of Check Dam - 1,133 No. - Rs. 9, Lakh Construction of Minor Irrigation Tank- 258 No. - Rs. 5, Lakh (Irrigation Created 19,000 Ha) 3. Asset Building New Tube Wells & shallow Tub Wells - 6,418 No. - Rs Lakh (Irrigation Created 6,500 Ha) 5

Major Interventions under RKVY ( to ) Production Growth :  Subsidy on production / distribution of Certified seeds all crop 3,22,995 Qtl.  Distribution of Pulse/Oilseed seed minikits 4,40,901 Pkts.  Distribution of Hybrid Maize seed minikits 5,63,261 Pkts. Expansion in irrigated area :  Establishment of 20,897 Shallow tubewells 21,000 ha.  Construction of 126 check dams 1,368 ha.  Construction of 39 Minor Irrigation Tanks 975 ha.  Distribution of 5,109 irrigation pumps 3,000 ha. 6

Contd... Infrastructure development :  Shahid Veer Narayan Singh Multipurpose Farmers Service Center - 72 functional and 41 under progress.  Farmers Information Centre functional and 160 under progress.  Agriculture Input Godowns of 100 MT capacity at PACS level functional  Soil Testing Laboratories - 3 functional and 1 under progress.  State level Fertilizer Quality Control Lab - 1 functional  State level Agriculture Implement Testing Lab - 1 Functional  Seed Storage Godowns at 13 Seed Processing Centres. 7

FOODGRAINS PRODUCTION National Vs Chhattisgarh Crop NationalChhattisgarh % Increase % Increase Rice Wheat Total Cereals Total Pulses Total Food Grains Total Oilseeds Unit-Lakh MT Source :- Agriculture Statistics, GoI 2012 & Commissioner Land Record, C.G. 8

CropUnit Year Year NationalChhattisgarh % against National Chhattisgarh % against National Rice kg/ ha Maize Arhar Soybean Wheat Gram Mustard Productivity of Major Crops - Chhattisgarh vs. National Source :- Agriculture Statistics, GoI 2012 & Commissioner Land Record, C.G. 9

Way Forward : Issues & Suggestions 10 1.Soil Health Card Scheme : a.Capacity of existing Soil Testing Labs in the state is sufficient only for 1/3rd of the total requirement. Analysis through outsourcing does not seem to be feasible within cost norms fixed by GoI under Soil Health Card scheme, hence cost norms may have to be increased. b. Cost limit for GPS equipment fix by GoI (Rs. 6000/- per unit) also needs upward revision. 2.Seeds: a. Restriction on use of old varieties of seeds (released over 10 years) under NFSM & BGREI. Suggestion:- Varieties though old (more than ten years) but suitable for particular region of the state. Farmers preferring such varieties due to superior traits/higher productivity (e.g. Purnima, MTU 1010, Bamleshwari, Mahamaya, Swarna). Such verieties of seed should be considered for providing subsidy under various GoI schemes. b.Provision for financial assistance on production of foundation / certified seed under NFSM (Pulses). Suggestion : - As per existing guidelines of NFSM (Pulse), financial assistance is not admissible for production of foundation / certified seed. It should be incorporated.

Contd Crop Insurance : Formulation of farmer friendly new crop insurance scheme. Suggestion : - (i) Premium rate for farmers should be capped at par with NAIS. (ii) It should be optional for loanee farmers. 4.Asset building: Permission to use RKVY fund for energistion of irrigation pumps. Suggestion: - The cost of energisation of irrigation pumps in the remote tribal areas is more than double as compared to normal areas. Similarly, during last three years around 350 Anicuts have been constructed to conserve rain water. Erection cost of electric lines along such water bodies and cost of energisation of irrigation pumps in remote areas may be treated as an agriculture related infrastructure and should be made eligible for funding under RKVY.

Contd Establishment of Procurement Centres : Arrangement for procurement of farmers produce at MSP. Suggestion:- Due to inadequate arrangement for procurement of pulses and oilseeds, farmers face distress sell, hence adequate arrangement is needed to promote pulses and oilseeds. 6.Special scheme for LWE affected districts for holistic agriculture development: 18 out 27 districts, which are mostly hilly and tribal dominated, are affected by Left Wing Extremism. They need special focus and thrust for development. Keeping in view the special needs and circumstances of these areas, a separate and special scheme should be launched for agriculture development of these areas.