Sub-mission On Agriculture Mechanization
This topic of “Sub-mission On Agriculture Mechanization” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination, which falls under General Studies Portion.
Introduction
- Agricultural machines increase productivity with timely and precise fieldwork
- The scheme aims to promote farm mechanization and increase the ratio of farm power to cultivable unit area up to 2.5 kW/ha
- The scheme will be implemented in all Indian states
Which Ministry
- Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Objectives
- Provide agricultural machinery to poor and economically weak farmers
- Enhance the reach of farm mechanization to small & marginal farmers and low-mechanized regions
- Promote ‘Custom Hiring Centres’ to mitigate adverse economies of scale caused due to small landholding and the high cost of individual ownership
- Generate awareness among stakeholders through demonstration and capacity-building activities
- Develop hubs for hi-tech & high-value farm equipment
- Ensure performance testing and certification at designated testing centres
- Provide subsidies ranging from 50 to 80 percent for buying agricultural machinery
- Give priority to women farmers
Benefits
- Subsidies on agricultural machinery for farmers
- Low cost of equipment
- Increase in yield with less cost of equipment
- Increased income for farmers
Eligibility
- All landholding farmers’ families, Self Help Groups (SHGs), User Groups, Cooperative Societies, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Entrepreneurs
- Native of India
- Women farmers given priority
- Financially weak farmers
- Farmers who have not taken the benefit of subsidy from any other central scheme earlier
Implementation Strategy
- Conduct performance testing for various farm machineries and equipment at designated testing centres
- Promote farm mechanization among stakeholders by way of on-field and off-field training and demonstrations
- Provide financial assistance to farmers for procurement of farm machinery and implements
- Establish custom hiring centres of the location and crop-specific farm machinery and implements
- Provide financial assistance to small and marginal farmers for hiring machinery and implements in low-mechanized regions
- Promotion of farm machinery and equipment in the North-Eastern Region
