Lok Sabha Question No. 2382 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-10
Subject: Use of Advanced Machinery/Tools in Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Rajeev Rai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2382

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  DECEMBER 2024

## USE OF ADVANCED MACHINERY/TOOLS IN FARMING

## 2382.  SHRI RAJEEV RAI:

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

- (a) the extent of advanced machinery and technological tools applied in farming activities by the farmers, particularly in the State of Uttar Pradesh;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  providing  any  financial  incentives  in  purchase machines/tools to small land holding farmers, particularly in the State of Uttar Pradesh;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details  of  strategies  adopted  by  the  Government  in  modernizing agricultural production in the fertile Ganga belt, particularly in the Mau and Ballia districts of Uttar Pradesh?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) to (d): The role of modern agricultural machines is very crucial as it helps in increasing agriculture production and productivity, improving utilization efficiency of costlier  inputs  such  as  seeds,  fertilizers  and  irrigation  water,  besides  reducing human  drudgery  associated  with  various  agricultural  operations.  However,  the adoption of mechanization by the farmers of various States depends on varying factors such as socio-economic conditions, geographical conditions, crops grown, irrigation facilities etc.

The emphasis of the Government is  to  promote mechanization with the specific aim of increasing the reach of farm mechanization to small and marginal farmers  and to the regions  where  availability  of  farm power is low  and promoting 'Custom Hiring Centers' to offset  the adverse  economies of scale arising due to small land holding and high cost of individual ownership of agricultural machines. A  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  'Sub-Mission  on  Agricultural  Mechanization' (SMAM)  is  implemented  in  all  the  States  and  Union  Territories  from  2014-15

including the State of Uttar Pradesh. Under this scheme, financial assistance @ 40% to 50% of the cost of machines depending on the categories of farmers is provided for purchase of agricultural machines.  Financial assistance @ 40% of the project cost is also provided to rural entrepreneur, (Rural youth and farmer as an entrepreneur), Cooperative Societies of Farmers, Registered Farmers Societies, Farmer  Producer  Organizations  (FPOs)  and  Panchayats  for  establishment  of Custom  Hiring  Centres  (CHCs)  and  Hi-tech  hubs  of  high  value  agricultural machines. Financial assistance @ 80% of the project cost for the projects costing up to Rs. 30 lakhs is provided to the Cooperative Societies of farmers, Registered Farmer Societies, FPOs, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Panchayats for setting up of  village  level  Farm Machinery Banks (FMBs).The scheme promotes almost all agricultural  machines  and  equipments  for  crop  production  and  post  production activities.

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, (DA&FW) is implementing Crop Residue Management Scheme from 2018-19 to support efforts of the State Governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh & NCT of Delhi to address  air  pollution  caused  due  to  paddy  stubble  burning  and  to  subsidize machinery required for management of crop residue. Under this scheme, financial assistance  @  50%  is  provided  to  the  farmers  for  purchase  of  crop  residue management machinery and @ 80% is provided to Rural Entrepreneurs (Rural youth & Farmer as an entrepreneur), Cooperative Societies of farmers, Registered Farmers Societies, Farmers Producer Organization (FPOs) and Panchayats for establishment  of  Custom  Hiring  Centres  (CHCs)  of  crop  residue  management machines. The scheme promotes the usage of machines such as Super Straw Management  System,  Happy  Seeder,  Super  Seeder,  Smart  Seeder,  Surface Seeder,  Zero  Till  Seed  cum  Fertilizer  Drill  etc.  for  in-situ  management  of  crop residue  and  Balers  &  Straw  Rakes  for  collection  of  straw  for  further  ex-situ utilization. Financial assistance @ 65% on the capital cost of machinery costing up to Rs. 1.50 crores is also provided for establishment of paddy straw supply chain projects  with  a  view  to  ensure  continuous  supply  of  paddy  straw  to  end  user industries in biomass power generation and biofuel sectors.

The Government has also approved Central Sector Scheme for providing drones to the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crores for  the  period  from  2023-24  to  2025-26.  The  scheme  is  implemented  in  entire country including the State of Uttar Pradesh. Under this scheme, there is a provision of  Central  Financial  Assistance  (CFA)  @  80%  of  the  cost  of  drone  and accessories/ancillary charges up to a maximum of Rs. 8.00 lakhs per drone to the selected women SHGs.

During  the  period  from  2014-15  to  2024-25  (as  on  30  November  2024), central funds amounting to Rs. 656.56 crores have been released to the State of Uttar  Pradesh  under  SMAM  and  the  State  has  supplied  176722  machines  and equipments  to  the  farmers  on  subsidy  and  established  10769  CHCs/Hi-tech Hubs/FMBs.  Under  the  Crop  Residue  Management  Scheme,  the  central  funds amounting to Rs. 763.67 crores have been released to the State of Uttar Pradesh during the period from 2018-19 to 2024-25 (as on 30 November 2024) and the State have supplied more than 70500 crop residue management machines to the farmers and established 8804 CHCs of crop residue management machines. Under Namo drone Didi Scheme, out of the total 15,000 drones targeted to be supplied, the Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) have procured the first 500 drones in 2023-24, using their  internal  resources  and  distributed  to  the  selected  SHGs,  which  include  32 drones supplied to SHGs of the State of Uttar Pradesh.   The district-wise allocation of the funds and physical targets under these schemes are done at the State level and  as per the information received from the Department  of  Agriculture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, the details of funds allocated, machines supplied and  CHCs/Hi-tech  Hubs/FMBs  established  under  SMAM  and  Crop  Residue Management Schemes in the districts  of Mau  and Balia  during the  period  from 2018-19 to 2024-25 (as on 30 November 2024) is as under:

|   S.No. | Particulars                                       |    Mau |   Ballia |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------|--------|----------|
|       1 | Funds allocated/released (Rs. in Crores)          |   4.88 |     8.64 |
|       2 | Machines distributed to individual farmers (Nos.) | 241    |   461    |
|       3 | CHCs/Hi-tech Hubs/FMBs established (Nos.)         |  34    |    61    |

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