Policy Division

Overview

  1. Policy Division of DAC has three sections viz. Policy, Policy(NCF) and Special Policy(SP).
  2. The work allocation of Policy Section includes formulation of overall policy and strategy for agricultural development in a long term perspective; development of vision for agriculture over the next 20 years or so; preparation of Action Plans for achieving the same; matters concerning Policy Planning Group and other groups set up from time to time relating to policy issues; coordination matters concerning formulation of National Policies in various sub-sectors of agriculture and allied sectors etc.
  3. Besides these issues, Policy Section also deals with the work of collection and compilation of information with regard to suicide by farmers in States due to agrarian reasons and steps being taken by States to deal with this problem; supply of information/data to parliamentary standing committee on agriculture studying the causative factors associated with the suicide by farmers; all parliamentary matters like questions/calling attentions/short-duration discussions/ half an hour discussions/ private member resolutions/ private members bills on the issue relating to farmers suicide etc.
  4. The incidence of suicide by farmers has been mainly reported from the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. As reported by State Governments, broadly, the causes for committing suicide by farmers are crop failure, indebtedness, draught/crop failure and social & economicinsecurity. To ameliorate the conditions of the farmers, Government of India approved a rehabilitation package for 31 suicide prone Districts in the four States of Andhra Pradesh(16 districts), Maharashtra(6 districts), Karnataka(6 districts) and Kerala (3 districts). The Package involves a total amount of Rs.16978.69 crore consisting of Rs.10579.43 crore as subsidy/grants and Rs.6399.26 crore as loan. After implementation of the Rehabilitation Package, there has been declining trend in farmers’ suicides in India.
  5. Policy (NCF) section is handling matters concerning National Commission on Farmers (NCF), implementation of its various reports and other residual matters.
  6. The National Commission on Farmers (NCF) was constituted under the Chairmanship of Prof. M.S. Swaminathan. The terms of reference of the Commission, inter-alia, included working out a comprehensive medium term strategy for food and nutrition security; propose methods of enhancing the productivity; profitability and sustainability of the major farming systems; suggest measures to attract and retain educated youth in farming; suggest reforms to enhance investment in agri-research; recommend measures for the credit, knowledge, skill and technological empowerment of women; and suggest methods of empowering elected members of Panchayats. The Commission submitted five reports to the Government over a period of time starting from December 2004. The Commission submitted its fifth and final report on 4.10.2006. Along with the final report, the Commission also submitted ‘Draft National Policy for Farmers’ containing important recommendations to address problems being faced by farmers in a comprehensive manner to improve economic viability of farming and to thereby substantially increase the net income of farmers. Based on ‘Draft National Policy for Farmers’, and after consultation with State Governments, National Policy for Farmers (NPF), 2007, was finalised and approved by the Government and was laid on Table of Lok Sabha on 26.11.2007.
  7. The Policy provisions, inter alia, include asset reforms in respect of land, water, livestock, fisheries, and bio-resources; support services and inputs like application of frontier technologies; agricultural bio-security systems; supply of good quality seeds and disease-free planting material, improving soil fertility and health, and integrated pest management systems; support services for women like crèches, child care centres, nutrition, health and training; timely, adequate, and easy reach of institutional credit at reasonable interest rates, and farmer-friendly insurance instruments; use of information and communication technology and setting up of farmers’ schools to revitalize agricultural extension; effective implementation of MSP across the country, development of agricultural market infrastructure, and rural non-farm employment initiatives for farm households; integrated approach for rural energy, etc.
  8. Many of the provisions of the NPF are being operationalised through various schemes and programmes which are being implemented by different Central Government Departments and Ministries. For the operationalisation of the remaining provisions of the Policy, an Action plan has been finalised and circulated to the Ministries and Departments concerned, as well as to all States and UTs for necessary follow up action. An inter-ministerial committee has also been constituted to monitor the progress of the Plan of Action for the operationalisation of the NPF.

4.Special Policy Section (SP) attends to various multifarious activities which includes monthly D.O. to Cabinet Secretary and monthly summary for the cabinet on the important developments in DAC; President’s Address; Finance Minister’s Budget Speech; Agriculture Minister’s Speech on Demand for Grants; “India a reference Annual”- of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; 20-Point Programme; matters relating to development of North-Eastern regions and of hilly areas including Jammu & Kashmir; mattes concerning SC/ST components in central and centrally sponsored schemes of DAC etc.