The existing norms under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)/National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) provide for assistance to the farmers in the form of Agriculture Input Subsidy (where crop loss is 50% and above) for damage caused to all types of agriculture and horticulture cropped areas due to the notified natural calamity. These are Rs.4500/- per hectare for rainfed crops, Rs.9000/- per hectare for assured irrigated crops, subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs.750/- and restricted to sown areas and Rs.12000/- per hectare for all type of perennial crops, subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs.1500/-restricted to sown areas, where crop loss is more than 50% and above.

In view of deficient/scanty rainfall condition during South-West Monsoon-2014 and its likely impact operation during Kharif-2014, Government of India introduced Diesel Subsidy Scheme to enable farmers in deficit rainfall areas to provide supplementary irrigation through diesel pump sets for protecting standing crops.

Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure (AMI), sub-scheme of Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM), is a demand driven scheme for providing assistance for creation of agri marketing infrastructure including storage. The basic objective of the scheme is to promote creation of scientific storage capacity for storing farm produce, processed farm produce and agricultural inputs, etc. to reduce post harvest and handling losses.

There are 641 Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) functioning in the various States of the country. In addition to existing system of issuing farmer advisories to farmers using electronic and other media of communications and organizing training programmes and awareness workshops for farmers, during XII Plan provision has been made for creating additional facilities in selected KVKs such as Rain Water Harvesting Structure with Micro Irrigation System, Soil and Water Testing facility Minimal Processing facility, Carp Hatchery facility, Integrated Farming System (IFS), e-Extension facility, Technology Information Unit, Mini Seed Processing facility, Micro Nutrient Analysis facility, Solar Panel facility, etc. to increase effectiveness of these KVKs to provide information to the farmers on various aspects of farm production including climate and soil conditions.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture Sh.Mohanbhai Kundaria.

Source - http://www.business-standard.com/