Shri Kanti Lal Bhuria, Minister of State for Agriculture has informed the Rajya Sabha today that in order to improve production, productivity and quality of cotton in the country, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Mini Mission-II of Technology Mission on Cotton is under implementation in 13 States viz.; Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Under the Schemes, assistance is provided for the production and supply of certified seeds of varieties/hybrids not older than 15 years, transfer of technology through frontline demonstrations, training of farmers through Farmers Field School (FFS) and extension workers, insecticide resistance management, maintenance of nucleus resistance management, maintenance of nucleus and breeder seeds, plant protection measures including IPM demonstration, supply of sprayers, pheromone traps, bio-agents as well as water saving devices like sprinklers and drip irrigation system. These developmental and extension activities have benefited farmers through increased production, productivity and reduced cost of cultivation through control of insects and pests.

The Minister said, the Government has taken several steps to provide relief to the farmers. The banks have been advised to reschedule/restructure the debt of farmers in distress and in arrears, grant one time settlement facility for settling overdue loans of small and marginal farmers and to advance loans to the farmers for repaying the loans taken from non-institutional sources. The farmers are also protected against natural calamities through National Agricultural Insurance Scheme.

Further, to protect the interest of the cotton growers, Government of India announces Minimum Support Price (MSP) of cotton every year and whenever the market prices of Kapas touch the Minimum Support Price level, the Cotton Corporation of India in the Ministry of Textiles undertakes Support Price Operation and purchases Kapas without any quantitative limit.

In addition, Government of India has also authorized the National Agricultural Cooperation Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) in 2004-05 to procure cotton at Minimum Support Price.