Hyderabad: To promote farm mechanisation, a new scheme is being formulated by the State government for providing farm equipment at subsidised prices to farmers across the State. Under the new scheme, the State government is aiming to double the farm mechanisation from the existing 45 per cent to 90 per cent in the State over the next three-four years in order to tackle the problem of farm labourers.
Speaking on the farm mechanisation measures during the Question Hour in the Assembly on Wednesday, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said a farm cluster-wise inventory is being prepared to identify the needs of farmers for every 5,000 acres. Accordingly, the State government will formulate the scheme to supply farm equipment like harvestors, threshers, winnowers and reapers among others to farmers through Custom Hiring Centres.
“Farm mechanisation has become inevitable due to severe shortage of farm labourers. We expect that it would be difficult even to find workers to take up paddy transplantation after four years. Hence, the government is focusing on farm mechanisation and will announce the new scheme after finalising the modalities,” he said.
The Minister said the farm mechanisation will not only reduce the input costs for the farmers, but also will save a lot of time which in turn can ensure effective and timely intervention throughout the cultivation process. Through the Custom Hiring Centres, he felt that new employment avenues will be opened for rural youth. The State government spent Rs 951.28 crore for farm mechanisation over the last few years which benefited 6.66 lakh farmers. The government which is providing upto 50 per cent subsidy on the farm equipment, had earmarked Rs 1,500 crore exclusively for farm mechanisation.
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