Lok Sabha Question No. 2427 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-06
Subject: Mechanisation in Agricultural Sector
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Vijay Kumar Hansdak

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2427

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 6 TH   AUGUST 2024

## MECHANISATION IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

2427.  SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK:

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

- (a)  the details on the status of mechanisation in the agricultural sector;
- (b)  the details on the steps that the Government has taken/plans to take for increasing mechanisation in this sector;
- (c)  whether the Government has any plans to set up a National Institute of Agricultural Robotics and Artificial Intelligence; and
- (d)  if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b): 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.  As per the estimates of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), agricultural mechanization level varies across  different  crops  and  their  farm  operation  in  the  country.  Overall,  the operation-wise average mechanization levels across crops are 70% for seedbed preparation, 40% for sowing/planting/transplanting, 32% for weeding and inter-culture,  and  34%  for  harvesting  and  threshing,  resulting  in  an  overall average mechanization level of 47%.

The  crop  wise  and  operation  wise  percentage  level  of  mechanization  is indicated in the table below :

| Crop   | Percentage level of agricultural mechanization   | Percentage level of agricultural mechanization   | Percentage level of agricultural mechanization   | Percentage level of agricultural mechanization   | Percentage level of agricultural mechanization   |
|--------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|        | Seed-bed preparation                             | Sowing/ planting/ transplanting                  | Weeding and interculture & plant protection      | Harvesti ng and threshing                        | Crop wise average                                |
| Rice   | 80                                               | 35                                               | 35                                               | 60                                               | 53                                               |
| Wheat  | 85                                               | 65                                               | 50                                               | 75                                               | 69                                               |

| Maize                  |   70 |   45 |   40 |   30 |   46 |
|------------------------|------|------|------|------|------|
| Sorghum and millets    |   60 |   30 |   20 |   20 |   33 |
| Pulses                 |   65 |   40 |   25 |   35 |   41 |
| Oilseed                |   65 |   40 |   20 |   30 |   39 |
| Cotton                 |   70 |   40 |   35 |    0 |   36 |
| Sugarcane              |   65 |   25 |   30 |   20 |   35 |
| Operation wise average |   70 |   40 |   32 |   34 |   47 |

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. A  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  'Sub-Mission  on  Agricultural  Mechanization' (SMAM) is being implemented through the State Governments w.e.f. 2014-15 under  which    financial  assistance  is  provided  for  purchase  of  agricultural machines  and  equipments  including  tractors  to  the  farmers  on  individual ownership basis and for establishment of Custom Hiring Centre (CHC)/High Tech Hub/Farm Machinery Bank  (FMB). The pattern of  financial  assistance under the scheme is given in below table:

|   Sr. No. | Component                                                                                                        | Financial Assistance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | Eligible Beneficiaries                        |
|-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Financial assistance for purchase of agricultural machines and equipments including tractors                     | 50% of the cost of machine/equipment with applicable ceiling limits for Small and Marginal Farmers, Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe farmers, women farmers and farmers of the North Eastern States. 40% of the cost of machine/equipment for other farmers | Individual farmer                             |
|         2 | Financial assistance for purchase of agricultural machines and equipments by the farmers of North Eastern Region | 100% of the cost of machine for the machines costing up to Rs. 1.25 lakhs                                                                                                                                                                                  | Individual farmer of the North Eastern States |

|   3. | Establishment of Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) and Hi-tech Hubs.                       | 40% of the project cost. The project cost of CHCs can be up to Rs. 60 lakhs per project and that of Hi-tech hubs can be up to Rs. 250 lakhs per project.               | Rural Entrepreneurs (Rural youth and farmer as an entrepreneur), Cooperative Societies of farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Panchayats   |
|------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    4 | Establishment of Farm Machinery Banks in identified villages of low mechanized States | 80% of the project cost for the projects up to Rs. 10 lakhs in normal States and 95% of the project cost for the projects up to Rs. 10 lakhs for North Eastern States. | Cooperative Societies, FPOs, SHGs and Panchayats                                                                                                                                  |

Since inception of the SMAM, funds amounting to Rs. 7159.83 Crores has been released to various states.  The States have supplied more than 18.24 lakh machines and equipments to the farmers  on individual ownership basis  and more than 49700  CHCs/Hi-tech Hubs/FMBs have been established in various States.

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is also implementing Crop  Residue  Management Scheme  from  2018-19    in  order  to  support  the efforts  of  the  Governments  of  Punjab,  Haryana,  Uttar  Pradesh,  Madhya Pradesh and NCT of Delhi to address air pollution and to subsidize machinery required for management of crop residue. The scheme promotes  the usage of machines such as Super Straw Management Systems, Happy Seeder, Super Seeder,  Smart  Seeder,  Surface  Seeder,  Zero  Till  Seed  cum  Fertilizer  Drill, Mulcher,  Shrub  Master/Rotary  Slasher, Paddy  Straw  Chopper,  Hydraulically Reversible Mould Board Plough, Crop Reapers and Reaper Binders for in-situ management  of    paddy  straw    and  Balers  &  Straw  Rakes  for  ex-situ management  of  paddy  straw.  Financial    assistance  @  50%  of  the  cost  of machinery is provided to the farmers for purchase  of these identified machinery and financial assistance @ 80% of the project cost is provided to the Rural Entrepreneurs  (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 of crop residue management machinery. With a view to enable efficient ex-situ management of paddy straw generated in these States, provisions have been  made  to  establish    projects  for  paddy  straw  supply  chain  under  the bilateral agreement of  beneficiary/ aggregator (Farmers, Rural entrepreneurs, Cooperative Societies of farmers, Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Panchayats) and Industries utilizing the paddy straw. Financial assistance @

65% on the capital cost of machinery costing up to Rs. 1.50 crores is provided by the Government.  The balance amount is contributed by the Industry utilizing the  paddy  straw  and  aggregator  in  a  flexible  manner  provided  that  the aggregator has to contribute minimum 10% of the project cost. The intervention aims at establishing a robust supply chain of paddy straw for various end user industries  in  biomass  power  generation  and  biofuel  sectors.    Under  this scheme, during the period from 2018-19 to 2023-24, an amount of  Rs.3333.17 Crore  have  been  released  to  these  States  and  ICAR.    The  States  have established more than 37,000 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) of crop residue management machines and more than 2.95 lakh crop residue management machines have been supplied to these CHCs and individual farmers of these States.

Apart from above, horticulture mechanization is promoted under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) to improve farm efficiency and reduce drudgery of farm workforce. Financial assistance @ 25% of the cost of  machines  for  general  category  of  farmers  and  @  35%  of  the  cost  of machinery  to  the  Scheduled  Caste  (SC),  Scheduled  Tribe  (ST),  Small  and Marginal Farmers, Women Farmers and beneficiaries of North Eastern States is provided for procurement of power operated machines and tools including plant protection equipments. Under National Food Security Mission (NFSM), assistance is given to all categories of farmers including small and marginal farmers on various interventions including farm implements and machines as per norms of SMAM.

The Government has also recently approved a Central Sector Scheme for providing drones to the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs.  1261  Crores.  The  scheme  aims  to  provide  drones  to  15000  selected Women SHGs for providing rental services to farmers for agriculture purpose (application of fertilizers and pesticides). Of the  total 15,000 drones, first 500 drones have been procured and distributed to selected SHGs by Lead Fertilizer Companies  (LFCs)  in  2023-24,  using  their  internal  resources.    Remaining 14500  drones will be provided under this scheme during 2024-25 and 202526. Central Financial Assistance @ 80% of the cost of drone and accessories/ ancillary  charges  up  to  a  maximum  of  Rs. 8.0  lakhs  will  be  provided  to  the women SHGs  for purchase of drones. The Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) of  SHGs  may  raise  the  balance  amount  (total  cost  of  procurement  minus subsidy)  as  loan  under  National  Agriculture  Infra  Financing  Facility  (AIF). Interest subvention @ 3% on the AIF loan will  be provided to the CLFs. The scheme will  help  in  infusing  advance  technology  in  agriculture  for  improved efficiency, enhanced crop yield and reduced cost of operation for the benefit of farmers.  The  scheme  will  also  provide  sustainable  business  and  livelihood support to SHGs and they would be able to earn additional income of at least Rs. 1.0 lakhs per annum.

(c)  &  (d):  Presently  there  is  no  proposal  in  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and Farmers Welfare  to  set  up  a  National  Institute  of  Agricultural  Robotics  and Artificial Intelligence.

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