📋 Agriculture Schemes & Policies

Introduction

Agriculture in Uttar Pradesh is supported by a dense network of central and state government schemes covering income support, credit, insurance, marketing, mechanization, and infrastructure. For the UPSSSC AGTA exam, knowing the key features, eligibility, and benefits of each major scheme is essential.

The simplest way to study this lesson is to group schemes by function:

• income support and credit: PM-KISAN, KCC
• risk protection: PMFBY, Kisan Sarvhit Bima
• productivity support: Soil Health Card, Krishi Yantra Subsidy, Kisan Pathshala
• energy and infrastructure: PM-KUSUM, AIF, storage, processing, solar pumps

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Central Government Schemes Operating in UP

1. PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi)

Feature	Details
Launched	February 2019
Benefit	₹6,000 per year in 3 equal instalments of ₹2,000
Eligibility	All land-holding farmer families
Transfer mode	Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to bank account
UP relevance	Very large farmer base benefits because UP has one of India's biggest farming populations

The main exam point is simple: PM-KISAN is an income-support scheme, not a loan or insurance scheme.

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2. Kisan Credit Card (KCC)

Feature	Details
Purpose	Short-term crop loans at subsidized rates
Loan limit	Up to ₹3 lakh at 4% interest (with timely repayment)
Extended to	Dairy, fisheries, poultry farmers (since 2019)
UP relevance	Important because of the large number of small and marginal farmers
Interest subvention	2% from centre + 3% prompt repayment bonus = net 4% p.a.

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3. PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) — Crop Insurance

Feature	Details
Launched	2016 (replaced NAIS and MNAIS)
Premium	Kharif: 2%, Rabi: 1.5%, Horticulture: 5% (farmer share)
Balance premium	Shared equally by central and state government
Coverage	All food crops, oilseeds, commercial and horticultural crops
Technology used	Satellite imagery, drones, smartphones for crop loss assessment
UP importance	Relevant because monsoon risk, flood, drought, and hail affect major crop belts

PMFBY should be remembered as the main crop-insurance scheme. The most important exam facts are the farmer premium rates and the fact that it covers crop loss risk.

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4. e-NAM (Electronic National Agriculture Market)

Feature	Details
Launched	2016
Purpose	Unified national market for agricultural commodities
Platform	Online trading portal connecting APMC mandis
UP relevance	Used for improving mandi connectivity and price discovery
Benefits	Price transparency, reduced middlemen, wider buyer base

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5. Soil Health Card Scheme

Feature	Details
Launched	2015
Purpose	Soil testing and nutrient-based recommendations
Cycle	One card per farmer every 2 years
Tests	12 parameters — pH, EC, organic carbon, N, P, K, S, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, B
UP relevance	Important in a state with high fertilizer use and soil imbalance issues

The scheme promotes balanced fertilization by telling farmers exactly what nutrients their soil needs, reducing overuse of urea.

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State Government Schemes (UP-Specific)

1. UP Krishi Yantra Subsidy Yojana

Feature	Details
Purpose	Subsidy on agricultural machinery
Subsidy range	50-80% depending on category and equipment
Target	SC/ST, small & marginal farmers get higher subsidy
Equipment covered	Tractors, rotavators, laser levellers, seed drills, sprayers
Application	Online through DBT agriculture portal

This scheme matters because mechanization is expensive for small farmers. Subsidy support helps them access equipment that raises productivity and reduces labour pressure.

2. Mukhyamantri Kisan Sarvhit Bima Yojana

Feature	Details
Purpose	Accident and disability insurance for farmers
Coverage	₹5 lakh for accidental death
Disability cover	Up to ₹2.5 lakh
Medical reimbursement	Up to ₹2.5 lakh for hospitalization
Eligibility	Farmers and eligible rural households under notified state conditions
Premium	Fully paid by state government

3. Kisan Pathshala

Feature	Details
Purpose	Farmer training programme at block level
Content	Modern techniques, organic farming, IPM, water management
Frequency	Regular sessions through KVKs and agriculture department
Extension	Links farmers with agricultural scientists

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4. Mukhyamantri Khet Suraksha Yojana

Feature	Details
Purpose	Solar fencing around farms to protect crops from wild/stray animals
Support pattern	Subsidy support for solar fencing
Technology	Solar-powered fence generating 12V non-lethal shock to deter animals
Target	Farmers affected by crop damage from nilgai, wild boar, and stray cattle

5. UP Agris Scheme (UP Agriculture Resilient & Inclusive Systems)

Feature	Details
Funding	World Bank-assisted programme
Purpose	Promote climate-resilient agriculture in Uttar Pradesh
Focus areas	Climate adaptation, sustainable farming practices, resilient crop varieties

6. PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan)

Feature	Details
Purpose	Solarizing agricultural pumps
Support pattern	Solar pumps, feeder solarization, decentralized solar generation
Components	Solar pumps for irrigation, solarization of grid-connected pumps, solar power plants on barren land

7. Diesel-to-Solar Pump Conversion (State Scheme)

Feature	Details
Purpose	Converting diesel-powered irrigation pumps to solar pumps
Goal	Reduce diesel dependency, lower input costs for farmers

8. Power Subsidy for Agriculture

Feature	Details
Private tubewell support	State subsidy support for irrigation electricity
Budget pattern	Agriculture power subsidy is a significant recurring support item
Purpose	Affordable electricity for irrigation and farm operations

9. Seed Parks & Crop Diversification

Feature	Details
Seed Park	Proposed in Lucknow for high-quality seed production and research
Pulses & Oilseeds Mission	Diversification mission to boost production of pulses and oilseeds, reduce import dependency
Goal	Strengthen domestic seed supply chain and promote crop diversification away from wheat-rice dominance

10. Nishadraj Boat Subsidy Scheme

Feature	Details
Purpose	Subsidy on boats for fisheries and inland fishing communities
Target	Nishad (fishermen) community engaged in riverine/pond fishing
Benefit	Financial assistance for purchase of fishing boats and equipment

Agricultural Infrastructure Schemes

Scheme	Purpose	Key Feature
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)	Post-harvest infrastructure	₹1 lakh crore fund for cold stores, warehouses, processing
PM Kisan SAMPADA	Food processing	Mega food parks, cold chain, backward-forward linkages
Kisan Rail	Transport	Refrigerated rail coaches for perishables
Warehouse Development	Storage	FCI, CWC, state warehousing network
PM Micro Food Processing (PMFME)	Micro enterprises	One District One Product integration for food processing

These schemes matter because agriculture is not only about growing crops. It also depends on storage, processing, transport, and market linkage.

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Organic Farming and Sustainability

Initiative	Details
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)	Cluster-based organic farming — ₹50,000/hectare over 3 years
Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)	Promoted in Bundelkhand and eastern UP
National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP)	Certification standards for organic exports
Organic corridor	UP developing organic farming clusters in Bundelkhand
Namami Gange + Organic	Organic farming promoted along Ganga banks

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Agriculture Export

Feature	Details
Key export items	Basmati rice, mango, potato, processed foods
Basmati export	Western UP (Saharanpur, Bijnor) major source
Agriculture Export Policy (2018)	State cluster approach for export promotion
Mango export	Dasheri and Langra exported to Gulf, EU, USA
GI-tagged products	Dasheri Mango, Allahabad Surkha Guava, Banarasi Langda Mango

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Agriculture Policy 2013 (UP)

The UP Agriculture Policy 2013 set long-term goals for the sector.

Aim	Target
Growth rate	5.1% per annum in agriculture
Food grain production	Reach 65 million MT
Irrigation	100% coverage for all cultivable land
Mechanization	Increase farm mechanization to 40%
Organic	Promote organic farming in 10% of cultivable area

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Summary Cheat Sheet

Scheme	Key Fact
PM-KISAN benefit	₹6,000/year (3 x ₹2,000)
KCC interest rate (effective)	4% p.a.
PMFBY kharif premium	2%
PMFBY rabi premium	1.5%
Soil Health Card cycle	Every 2 years
Soil Health Card parameters	12
Krishi Yantra Subsidy	50-80%
Kisan Sarvhit Bima death cover	₹5 lakh
PKVY organic support	₹50,000/ha over 3 years
Khet Suraksha Yojana	Solar fencing for crop protection
UP Agris Scheme	World Bank-assisted, climate-resilient agriculture
PM-KUSUM	Solar pumps and pump solarization
Diesel-to-solar pump conversion	Reduce diesel irrigation dependence
Agriculture power subsidy	Supports affordable irrigation electricity
Seed Park	Lucknow
Nishadraj Boat Subsidy	Fisheries boat subsidy