Stating that
the country has experienced two successive years of poor rains, Union
Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh has said
that immediately after the IMD’s monsoon forecasts in April, 2015 recognizing
the gravity of the situation, Government of India, in collaboration with State
Governments, responded rapidly with a multi-pronged approach to mitigate the
effects of the drought. The Minister has outlines various measures taken by the
Government here today. These include among others,
Ø
The Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture
(CRIDA), in collaboration with the State Agricultural Universities, prepared a
Contingency Plan for 600 Districts to implement location specific interventions
to sustain agriculture production. Weekly video conferences with State
Governments to discuss rainfall patterns, supply of seeds, the impact of
drought and other related issues were held. Weekly meetings of the Crop Weather
Watch Group were also held. Adequate quantities of drought resistant seeds and
seeds of low water intensive crops were made available.
Ø
The States took various measures like in-situ soil and
moisture conservation, micro-irrigation and ground water re-charge. These steps
ensured that in spite of two successive droughts, the overall agriculture
production has not dipped and food stocks are adequate.
Ø
Drinking Water
There are
1.71 million rural habitations in the country. More than 25% of these
habitations (441,390) are facing drinking water scarcity.
To address
the situation the Governments have taken the following measures:
i.
Repair/restoration
of 738,650 hand pumps;
ii. Addition of
1,076,961 meters of riser pipe to boreholes in order to access deeper
groundwater reserves;
iii. Establishment
of 1,398 temporary piped water supply schemes;
iv. Water
trucking through tankers to 15,345 habitations ;
v. Hiring of
13,372 private bore wells to augment water supply; and
vi. Commissioning
of 44,498 new bore wells
The
government has released Rs. 819.67 Crore under ARDWP to the States as the first
installment for 2016/17. Further, the States have also been requested to
utilise the Flexi Fund under the programme to mitigate scarcity of drinking
water in drought affected districts.
The
Government is closely monitoring the situation on a daily basis.
Ø
Food
The National
Food Security Act (NFSA) is already implemented in all the drought affected
States. Continuous persuasion with the States resulted in the number of
States/UTs under NFSA increasing from 11 to 33 in the past year. At present
all beneficiaries in drought affected States - are receiving food grains under
NFSA at NFSA prescribed rates. Additional allocation of food grains has been
made to Maharashtra and Karnataka States on their request.
The Mid Day
Meal Scheme provides for serving of mid-day meals to eligible school children
during summer vacations in areas declared to be drought affected by the State
Government. The majority of the drought affected states have obtained financial
approvals to serve mid-day meals during summer vacations in their drought
affected districts/areas.
Ø
Assistance
to distressed Farmers
The
Government enhanced the quantum of input subsidy (relief assistance to farmers)
provided under SDRF/NDRF by 50% in April 2015. Further, the norms for
assistance were also made more farmer-friendly by setting the threshold for
assistance at a crop loss of 33% or above rather than the earlier threshold of
50%. Under NDRF, Rs. 10,275 Crore has been released to States, the highest
assistance ever provided.
The Reserve
Bank of India amended the criteria of crop loss from 50% to 33% in the
guidelines for relief measures by Banks in areas affected by natural calamities
All the State Governments were advised to take necessary steps, in coordination
with Banks and District Level Coordination Committees (DLCC) to implement the
amended guidelines so that relief is extended to farmers. Loans worth more than
Rs. 15000 crore have already been restructured.
Insurance
companies were proactively persuaded to make timely payment of insurance
claims. Claims to the excess of Rs.13,000 crore have either been paid or are being
settled expeditiously. This is more than double the amount paid out last year.
States have also been requested to send the claims for the Rabi season
urgently.
The
Government of India has rolled out a new Crop Insurance Scheme called the
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna from Kharif 2016. The scheme has the lowest
ever premium for the Farmer-1.5% for Rabi and 2% for Kharif. It has also
enabled insurance cover to be provided for various risks that have hitherto
been uninsurable. The scheme aims to increase the insurance coverage from 23%
to 50% of the cropped area.
Ø
Employment
The Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee has been strengthened as a concerted
response to tackle agrarian distress and to meet the demand for work in drought
affected areas, creating durable, income generating assets in the process. In
the year 2015-16, States were asked to provide employment where needed,
particularly in drought affected areas, with the assurance that the Government
of India would make the required resources available.
In response
to this, 13 States generated person days beyond their estimated labour budgets
for the Financial Year 2015-2016. The financial commitments made to these
states have been honoured. The programme achieved the following mile-stones:
i.
235
Crore person days have been generated in the last FY (49 days per household),
which is highest in the last five years;
ii. The
expenditure of Rs. 42,253.75 Crore in FY 2015-16 is the highest ever since the
inception of the programme.
iii.
More
than 63% of the total expenditure was on agriculture and related works with a
focus on Natural Resource Management (NRM) and water conservation.
The
entitlement has been expanded from 100 to 150 days of work to households in
drought affected regions. More than 20 Lakh households in these regions have
availed this opportunity and exceeded 100 days of work.
In 2015-16,
Rs. 33,000 Crore was initially allocated under MNREGA. This year, the initial
allocation is Rs.38,500 Crore, and this will be further augmented based on
demand from the States. On the 7th of April 2016, the Ministry directed all
States to maintain the tempo of work from April to June, especially in drought
affected regions. The Government is fully committed to ensure that the
necessary resources are made available to meet the demand for work.
Ø Livelihoods
Livelihood
diversification is an essential part of the drought response strategy. Every
block in the drought affected areas is being targeted for intensive work under
the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Mission. This involves risk mitigation through the
development of multiple livelihoods and by formation and support of self-help
groups.
At least
eighteen lakh young people from households who have completed 100 days of
employment in any of the last two years will undergo skills training through
Project LIFE (Livelihoods in full Employment).
Ø
Water
Security and Drought Proofing
Under the
Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), a series of activities have
been undertaken to develop rainfed/degraded areas and wastelands. An amount of
Rs. 1,064.23 Crore was released to drought affected States during 2015-16 for
watershed related activities.
Ø
The
Government has also undertaken pre-monsoon preparedness by advising the affected States on a series of short and medium term measures
to conserve water received during the monsoon period and to better manage the
demand for existing water resources.
Ø
In
addition to these national actions, States have created district level plans
which address local issues of availability of drinking water and fodder as well
as the establishment of cattle camps and provision of food for those in need.
For example, the State of Maharashtra has launched the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan
in which village level plans have been prepared to renovate and rejuvenate
water bodies to improve water security.
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