Lok Sabha Question No. 429 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-04
Subject: Farm Mechanization
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Azad Kirti Jha

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 429

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 4 TH  FEBRUARY 2025

## FARM MECHANIZATION

## 429. SHRI AZAD KIRTI JHA:

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

- (a)  the current level of farm mechanization in the country;
- (b)  the time by when the country is likely to attain 75% farm mechanization;
- (c)  whether  any  mechanism  is  laid  down  to  ensure  that  farm  mechanization benefits small and marginal farmers and if so the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  any  study  has  been  conducted  to  assess  the  challenges  of  farm mechanization in the country;
- (e)  if so, the details and findings thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (f) the details of major challenges, if any, in attaining 100% farm mechanization in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (f): 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  2020-21  of  Indian Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR),  agricultural  mechanization  level  varies across  different  crops  and  their  farm  operations  in  the  country.  Overall,  the operation-wise average mechanization levels across crops are 70% for seed-bed preparation,  40%  for  sowing/planting/transplanting,  32%  for  weeding  and  interculture,  and  34%  for  harvesting  and  threshing,  resulting  in  an  overall  average mechanization  level  of  47%.  The  Standing  Committee  on  Agriculture,  Animal Husbandry  and  Food  Processing  (2022-23)  on  the  subject  'Research  and Development  in  Farm  Mechanization  for  Small  and  Marginal  Farmers  in  the Country' in its 58 th  Report emphasized to achieve mechanization level of 75% by the year 2047.

The emphasis of the Government is always to promote farm mechanization for  all  section  of  the  society  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 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 machines.

The Department of Agriculture &  Farmers  Welfare  (DA&FW) through the State Governments is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme 'Sub-Mission on  Agricultural  Mechanization'  (SMAM)  w.e.f.  2014-15.  Under  this  scheme, 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 provide machines and equipments to the farmers  on  rental  basis  as  per  their  requirements.  Crop  Residue  Management Scheme  is  implemented  from  2018-19  in  order  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.  The Government  has  approved  'Namo  Drone  Didi'  as  Central  Sector  Scheme  for providing 15,000 drones to the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) during the period from 2023-24 to 2025-26  for providing rental services to farmers for agriculture purpose.

Some of the major challenges of increasing the farm mechanization levels as emerged through the impact evaluation studies of the SMAM (2018-19) are small and fragmented land holdings, hilly terrain and diverse soil conditions, diversified agro  climatic  conditions  and  cropping  patterns,  high  cost  of  machines  etc.  The DA&FW  has  already  entrusted  a  study  on  'Assessment  of  Status  of  Farm Mechanization and Custom Hiring in India' in 2024-25 to the ICAR.

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