25,000 agri-machines to be subsidised for paddy stubble management in Punjab
The Punjab government has focused to deliver state-of-the-art machines to farmers including super SMS, happy seeder, paddy straw chopper, shredder, mulcher, hydraulic reversible mould board plough and zero till drill
Chandigarh The Punjab agriculture department has initiated a drive to provide more than 25,000 agri-machines and farm equipment to farmers for in-situ management of paddy residue with subsidy component of ₹250 crore in this fiscal.
Agriculture director Sukhdev Singh Sidhu on Sunday said that the department had already sanctioned about 430 applications of cooperative societies and panchayats on priority for balers and primary sowing machines.
In the first phase, sanctions of agro-machines have been issued to 246 panchayats and 185 primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) at a subsidy of 80% to establish Farm Machinery Banks (FMBs) to be used as Custom Hiring Centres.
He added that subsidy ranging between 50% and 80% is being offered to the farmers under the scheme.
“The machinery portal is being reopened from August 2-4 for panchayats, cooperative societies and FPOs to give them one more opportunity to avail the benefit of these subsidized agri-equipment,” the director added.
The state government has focused to deliver state-of-the-art machines to farmers including Super SMS, happy seeder, paddy straw chopper, shredder, mulcher, hydraulic reversible mould board plough and zero till drill.
He also urged the farmers to make optimum use of subsidized agri-machinery to do away the practice of stubble burning. Significantly, the area under paddy has reduced to 27 lakh hectare this year.
During 2018-2019, 2019-20 and 2020-21,76,622 specialised equipment/machines including balers have been provided to farmers and Custom Hiring Centres across the state on 50% to 80% subsidy for in-situ and ex-situ management. Of these, 49,196 machines have been provided to 19,834 Custom Hiring Centres and the remaining to individual farmers.