Lok Sabha Question No. 89 (STARRED), answered on 2016-11-22
Subject: Farm Mechanisation
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAGHAV LAKHANPAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 89

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND  NOVEMBER, 2016

## FARM MECHANISATION

- *89.  SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) the status of farm mechanisation in the country;
- (b) whether  little  or  non-use  of  farm  machines  by  the  small  and  marginal  farmers  in ploughing,  sowing,  irrigating,  thinning  and  pruning,  weeding,  harvesting,  threshing  and transporting the crops have resulted in huge wastage of human labour and low yields per capita labour force;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  tackle  this  problem  and  encourage  the farmers to use more farm machines in agricultural activities?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè

(SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 89  DUE FOR REPLY ON 22 ND  NOVEMBER, 2016.

- (a): The total Farm Power availability of the country is steadily progressing as it was 0.293  kW/ha in 1971-72 , 1.17 kW/ha in 2001-02 and 1.84 kW/ha in 2012-13.
- (b) & (c):      Yes, Madam.  Mechanisation of agriculture is an essential input in modern agriculture.  It  enhances  productivity  besides  reducing  human  drudgery  and  cost  of cultivation. Mechanisation also helps in improving utilization efficiency of other inputs, safety  and  comfort  of  the  agricultural  worker,  improvements  in  the  quality  and  value addition of the produce and also  enabling the farmers to raise a second crop or multi crop making the Indian agriculture attractive and a way of life by becoming commercial instead  of  subsistence.  The  farm  power  availability  and  the  average  food  grain  yield have  a  direct  relationship.    Also,  there  has  been  close  nexus  between  farm  power availability and increased productivity.

Various  studies  of  ICAR  reveals  that  due  to  adoption  of  farm  mechanization, while  in  1971-72  about  60.8%  farm  power  was  coming  from  agricultural  workers  and draught animals, in 2012-13 the contribution of animate sources of power reduced to about 10.1%.  On the other hand, the share of mechanical and electric sources of power increased from 6.8% to 45.8% and 14% to 26.8%, respectively during the last 41 years. Further by adoption of farm mechanization there will be

-  Savings in seeds: 15-20%;
-  Savings in fertilizers: 15-20%;
-  Increase in cropping intensity: 5-20%;
-  Savings in time: 20-30%;
-  Reduction in manual labour: 20-30%;
-  overall increase in farm productivity 10-15 %;

(d): Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare is providing financial assistance to the farmers for purchase of agricultural equipments and machinery under various  schemes  viz.    Sub-Mission  on  Agricultural  Mechanization  (SMAM),  National Food  Security  Mission  (NFSM),  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture (MIDH), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) and National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) to encourage the farmers to use more farm  machines in agricultural activities

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