No separate survey on agricultural labourers undertaken : Fernandes

New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes today informed the Lok Sabha that no separate survey was conducted by the Planning Commission to assess the number of agricultural labourers among the rural population.

He said the majority of rural populace was engaged in agriculture. The percentage of those below poverty line in the country, on the basis of the 61st round of the National Sample Survey organisation NSSO) conducted in 2004-05, has been estimated to be 21.8 per cent, he said in reply to a question.

Mr Fernandes observed that agricultural production depends upon many factors, other than wages, supply of inputs such as fertilizer, seeds and pesticides/insecticides, mechanisation, credit flow, irrigation, rainfall and weather situation.

As there was little scope for increasing area under cultivation, higher aggregate output levels in agriculture production would be possible through achievement of higher crop yields per hectare, Mr Fernandes said.

Central and State governments are implementing various crop production programmes to enhance agricultural production, he added.

UNI