Agri Statistics law like Population Census to be enacted

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, July 9 (UNI) The Agriculture Ministry is contemplating to enact a statistical legislation to conduct an Agriculture Census on the lines of Population Census and Industrial Statistics for compiling an authentic farm data to take correct and timely policy decisions.

"Statutory powers are needed for the Agricultural Census Commissioner of India and State Agricultural Census Commissioners for precise and timely estimates of crop yield, area, production and other farm data which will help in taking correct policy decision and monitoring progress of various programmes and schemes", experts have recommended.

The two-day National Workshop on Improvement of Agricultural Statistics concluded here today discussed in detail the present crop estimation methodology and infrastructure and has come out with a set of recommendations for improving farm statistics including the enacting of a statistics legislation.

Cutting short the dependence on the prevailing practice of manual data collection, new technological tools including Information and Technology and Space Technology will, hitherto, be used for crop estimation in the country.

For decentralised planning to agricultural growth, district level data is considered important. However, long time lag was noticed in its receipt and compilation. It was agreed that efforts will be made for online transfer of district level data to the States and from the State headquarters to the Centre on production and prices.

The use of new technological tools was highlighted, especially in view of depleting staff strength in the field.

During the Conference, State representatives highlighted that they are closely monitoring collection of area and yield estimates and preparing production estimates based on results of Crop Cutting Experiments.

However, in the recent past, for implementation of the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme, the number of Crop Cutting Experiments in various States has increased manifold, which they are finding it difficult to cope owing to the limited staff strength.

Since the harvest gets completed within about three weeks, the Crop Cutting Experiments are also to be completed within this critical period. The problem is further compounded, as larger numbers of posts are also lying vacant at various levels.

Closer coordination between different agencies including Revenue Department, Agriculture Department, State Directorate of Economics and Statistics and Horticulture Directorate will help in more consistency and precision, and also timely compilation of data. Use of space technology with appropriate ground mapping will be brought into use to a larger extent.

Considering that no proper database is available on horticultural crops and also because a new thrust is being given to this sector, it was decided that a system would be put in place to capture horticulture data exhaustively.

UNI

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