AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION SCHEME

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Recently, the Government of India has released funds for various activities of Farm Mechanization under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) scheme.

Important point:

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched SMAM in 2014-15.
• Under it, subsidy is provided for purchase of various types of agricultural equipment and machinery to the extent of 40-50% for States other than NER (North Eastern Region) States and for NER States it is 100% limited to Rs.1.25 lakhs per beneficiary.
• The agriculture ministry has also developed a Multilingual Mobile App, ‘CHC (Custom Hiring Centres)- Farm Machinery’ which connects farmers with Custom Hiring Service Centres situated in their locality.
• Increasing the reach of farm mechanization to small and marginal farmers and to the regions and difficult areas where farm power availability is low.
• Promoting ‘Custom Hiring Centres’ and ‘Hi-tech Hubs of High-Value Machines’ to offset the adverse economies of scale arising due to small and fragmented landholding and high cost of individual ownership.
• Creating awareness among stakeholders through demonstration and capacity building activities.
• Ensuring performance testing and certification of agricultural machines at designated testing centres located all over the country.

Agriculture/Farm Mechanization

• Mechanised agriculture is the process of using agricultural machinery to mechanise the work of agriculture.
• To boost up mechanization in the agriculture sector, improved agricultural implements and machinery are essential inputs.
• India stands at about 40-45% with states such as UP, Haryana and Punjab having very high mechanization levels, but north-eastern states having negligible mechanization.
• This level of farm mechanization is still low as compared to countries such as the US (95 %), Brazil (75%) and China (57%).
• It plays a vital role in optimizing the use of land, water energy resources, manpower and other inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc to maximize the productivity of the available cultivable area and make agriculture a more profitable and attractive profession for rural youth.
• It is one of the key drivers for the sustainable development of the agriculture sector.
• Reduce workforce hence decreases farm employment.
• Use of machinery increases pollution.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT