The policy of mandatory production and distribution of Neem Coated Urea (NCU) was implemented by the Government of India since 2015. In this article, authors have made an attempt to explore the benefits of NCU recognized by the producers of six major crops such as paddy, maize, sugarcane, tur, jute and soybean across six major states viz., Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Assam. The results reveal that NCU use has contributed positively in terms of increasing the yield levels of main product and by-products, as well as net returns with regard to almost all reference crops however; the extent varies from crop to crop. Moreover, NCU has helped reduce the cost of production by minimizing the cost of urea as well as other fertilizers and pesticides usage. Interestingly, the diversion of urea has stopped completely, post the production and distribution of NCU. Hence, it is concluded that the application of NCU has a positive impact on Indian agriculture, by way of increasing yield levels & returns for the farming community. These results are in line with the PM's vision of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 and Sustainable Development Goals of the Country.

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This paper estimated the growth of fertilizer consumption in India and forecasted it upto the year 2030 and both supply side and demand side factors which influences it. The results indicated that consumption of fertilizers had been increased at the rate of 4.16 per cent. The demand side determinants like area under irrigation reflected at the rate of 1.42 per cent growth, average minimum support prices showed a growth rate of 7 per cent and a short term institutional credit registered a growth rate of 17 per cent. Area under irrigation and sum of average MSP encourages the fertilizer consumption substantially. The supply side factors viz., production, import and subsidy were influencing the fertilizer consumption significantly. The total fertilizer demand is expected to reach at 57 million tons by 2030 and at the same time, rate of consumption might enhanced to 277 kg per hectare. It is concluded that import is unavoidable to meet the gap between domestic production and total demand.

The policy of mandatory production and distribution of Neem Coated Urea (NCU) from May 2015, with a focussed attention on improving the soil quality through a judicious use of fertilizers seems to be in the right direction, considering the benefits realized so far by the Indian farming community. In this article, authors have made an attempt to explore the benefits recognized by the producers of six major crops such as paddy, maize, sugarcane, tur, jute and soybean across the six major states viz., Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Assam with 2200 sample households. The reference period of the study was the immediate season (Kharif 2015) post the NCU production. The results reveal that NCU use has contributed positively in terms of increasing the yield levels of both main product and by-products with regard to almost all the reference crops under study. However, the extent varies from crop to crop, highest being in the case of soybean, followed by tur, maize, sugarcane, paddy and jute. While the net returns are highest in respect of tur, followed by paddy. As regards B:C ratio, tur tops the list subsequent to sugarcane, paddy, soybean, maize and jute. Moreover, NCU has helped reduce the cost of production by minimizing the cost of urea as well as of other fertilizers and pesticides usage. Interestingly, the diversion of urea has stopped completely, post the production and distribution of NCU. Hence, it is concluded that the application of NCU has a positive impact on Indian agriculture, by way of increasing yield levels & returns for the farming community. These results are in line with the PM's vision of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 and Sustainable Development Goals of the Country.

Commission was thoroughly discussed: during 1966-72 by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Planning Commission, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and other allied institutions. Finally, the ICAR mooted the idea of establishing Krishi Vigyan Kendras (Agricultural Science Centres) as innovative institutions for imparting vocational training to the practicing farmers, school dropouts and field level extension functionaries. The first KVK, on a pilot basis, was established in 1974