Annual Report 2009-2010 - Department of Agriculture & Co-operation

Annual Report 2009-2010
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223.18 lakh bales during 2009-10(2nd Advance
Estimates) against 222.76 lakh bales during 2008-
09. The production of jute & mesta during the
year 2009-10 is estimated at 103.57 lakh bales
(2nd Advance Estimates) as against 103.65 lakh
bales during 2008-09.
1.11 Deficit rainfall during the south-west
monsoon season affected Kharif agricultural
operations during the current year, with paddy
suffering the most adverse impact. Despite the
timely onset of the south-west monsoon during
2009, the monsoon remained weak and erratic
during the major part of the season. At the end
of the south-west monsoon (1 June, 2009 to 30
September, 2009), there was an overall deficit
of 23 per cent in rainfall.
1.12 Details of state governments that
declared drought/scarcity/drought-like situation
and submitted memoranda seeking assistance
from the National Calamity Contingency Fund
(NCCF), are given in Table 1.4:
Table 1.4: Number of districts declared by
States as affected by drought/scarcity/
drought-like situation
S. No. State Number of
Districts
1 Andhra Pradesh 22
2 Assam* 27
3 Bihar 26
4 Himachal Pradesh 12
5. Jammu and Kashmir 18
6 Jharkhand 24
7 Karnataka 20
8 Madhya Pradesh 37
9 Maharashtra 28
10. Manipur 09
11. Nagaland* 11
12. Orissa 18
13. Rajasthan** 27
14. Uttar Pradesh 58
Total 337
*Declared as having drought like situation.
**Declared as scarcity affected.
1.13 All the 14 states mentioned above have
submitted memoranda for assistance from the
NCCF. Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs)
have visited 13 states (except Jammu and
Kashmir) for assessment of the drought situation
and requirement for Central assistance. An IMCT
has been constituted to visit Jammu & Kashmir
for assessment of the drought situation.
Proposals relating to 12 of these states (except
Jammu and Kashmir and Orissa) have been
considered and approved regarding the quantum
of assistance from the NCCF. The report of the
IMCT, which visited the drought affected areas
of Orissa will be considered in accordance with
the existing procedure.
1.14 Steps taken to reduce the impact of
deficit rainfall:
The states were requested to prepare
alternate plans for unsown/germinationfailed
areas with short-duration/alternate
crops.
Steps were taken to ensure the availability
of inputs like fertilizers and seeds.
A Diesel Subsidy Scheme for farmers was
announced to enable the provision of
supplementary protective irrigation to
standing crops (50 per cent of the cost
of the subsidy with a cap of Rs.7.50 per
litre given by the states to be borne by
the Central Government). The scheme
was under implementation until 30
September,2009.
Several measures related to seeds were
taken. Use of Truthfully Labeled(TL) seeds
was allowed as a special case under the
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana(RKVY).
Under the National Food Security
Mission(NFSM),relaxation of age for seed
varieties was allowed. The distribution of
subsidy was enhanced under the