Agriculture Census in India is conducted after every five years in collaboration with the States and Union Territories.The field work of Agriculture Census is carried out in three distinct phases. The ongoing 11^th Agriculture Census with the reference year 2021-22 has been commenced in 2022 and so far, field work & data collection for three phases have been completed within time frame.

Further, in phase-I, data on primary characteristics of agricultural holdings and area operated are collected on complete enumeration basis. In Phase-II, data on characteristics of holdings like cropping pattern, irrigation status etc. are collected from randomly selected 20% of sample villages in each Tehsil. In phase III, data on input use pattern of operational holdings are collected from randomly selected 7% of sample villages in each Tehsil.

Agriculture Census provides reliable data base on socio-economic aspects of operational holders in the country which is used for making agricultural policies. It provides information on the number, size and distribution of operational holdings by classes (marginal, small, semi-medium, medium and large),tenancy, consolidation of holdings, land distribution etc. which is used for efficient planning for utilization of land, irrigation facilities, crop diversification, mechanization and other agricultural inputs. It provides data on woman-operated land holdings to support gender-based agricultural interventions. Census data also enables Government in efficient allocation of subsidies, credit facilities, targeting rural development programs, and establishing national and regional agricultural priorities. Further, it serves as a key data source in agriculture sector for researchers, planners, and other stakeholders.

This information was given by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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