Lok Sabha Question No. 347 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Mechanisation of Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 347

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  MARCH 2025

## MECHANISATION OF AGRICULTURE

* 347  SHRI RAMASAHAYAM RAGHURAM REDDY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a)  the steps taken by the Government to ensure mechanisation of agriculture in small and marginal landholdings under 2 hectares;
- (b)  the number of custom hiring centres and farm machinery banks across the country;
- (c)  the steps taken to ensure the establishment of such centres at the panchayat and taluka level;
- (d)  whether the Government intends to undertake a comprehensive study to assess the current level of farm mechanisation in the country;
- (e)  whether the Government intends to bring in a policy on the design standardisation of farm equipment; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

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

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 347 DUE FOR REPLY ON 25 TH  MARCH 2025 REGARDING MECHANISATION OF AGRICULTURE.

(a): The emphasis of the Government is always to promote farm mechanization with the aim of increasing the reach of farm mechanization to small and marginal farmers and to the regions where availability of farm power is low.

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) through the State Governments  is  implementing  a  Centrally  Sponsored  'Sub-Mission  on  Agricultural Mechanization' (SMAM) w.e.f. 2014-15. Under SMAM, financial assistance is provided to the  farmers  for  purchase  of  agricultural  machines  and  equipments  on  individual ownership basis. Financial assistance is also provided for establishment of Custom Hiring Centres  (CHCs)  and  Village  Level  Farm  Machinery  Banks  (FMBs)  in  order  to  make available  machines  and  equipments  to  the  farmers  on  rental  basis  as  per  their requirements. Crop Residue Management (CRM) Scheme is implemented from 2018-19 primarily to support the efforts of the Governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and  NCT  of  Delhi  to  address  air  pollution  and  to  subsidize  machinery  required  for management of crop residue.

(b) & (c): Under SMAM, financial assistance for establishment of CHCs of the project cost up to Rs. 250 lakhs is provided  @ 40% of the  project cost to the Rural Entrepreneurs (Rural youth and farmer as an entrepreneur), Cooperative Societies of Farmers, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Registered Farmers Societies, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Panchayats. Financial assistance for establishments of FMBs of the project cost up to Rs. 30 Lakhs is provided @ 80% of the project cost to the Cooperative Societies of Farmers, Registered Farmer Societies, Self Help Groups, FPOs and Panchayats. The rate of financial assistance for establishing FMBs in the North Eastern States is @ 95% of the project cost. Financial assistance @ 80% of the project is also provided under CRM scheme for establishment of CHCs of crop residue management machines.

Since inception of the SMAM and as on 28.02.2025, the funds amounting to Rs. 8110.24 Crores has been released to various states.  The States have supplied more than 19.51 lakh machines and equipments to the farmers on individual ownership basis and more than 52,000 CHCs/Hi-tech Hubs/FMBs have been established in various States. Under CRM scheme, during the period from 2018-19 to 2024-25 (as on 28.02.2025), an amount of Rs. 3607.88 Crore have been released.  The States have established more than 41,900 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) of crop residue management machines and more than 3.23 lakh crop residue management machines have been supplied to these CHCs and individual farmers in the States.

(d): The DA&FW has entrusted a study in July 2024 on 'Assessment of Status of Farm Mechanization  and  Custom  Hiring  in  India'  to  the  Central  Institute  of  Agricultural Engineering (CIAE), Bhopal (MP) under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

(e) & (f): The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has brought out 296 Indian Standards in agricultural machinery sector  to promote quality, safety, reliability and to protect user interests through certification and testing. The four Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes  (FMTTIs) which are sub-ordinate institutes  of DA&FW and  39 other DA&FW designated /approved testing Centers at ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs)  and  State  Agricultural  Departments  are  testing  the  agricultural  machines  and equipments as per these standards. The tested machines by these institutions are only promoted under the schemes of DA&FW.

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