Question : AGRIULTURAL EQUIPMENTS

(a) the details of demand and availability of agricultural equipments in the country;

(b) whether the loan facility is provided for manufacturing of the said equipments;

(c) if so, the details of loan released and the number of farmers benefited therefrom during each of the last three years, State-wise;

(d) the details of agricultural equipment manufacturing factories operating in the country at present, State-wise; and

(e) the details of production capacity and production in respect of these factories, State-wise?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI KANTI LAL BHURIA)

(a): The demand of agricultural equipment in the country is increasing due to the requirement for increased cropping intensity and timely field operations for obtaining higher productivity as also the need for adoption of newer technology to reduce the cost of cultivation and bring additional area under cultivation. The availability of agricultural equipment in the country is given in a statement annexed as Annexure-I.

(b): Yes, Sir

(c): The State- wise details of the loans during each of the last three years is given in a Statement annexed as Annexure-II (A). The figures of Ground Level Credit disbursement is for Agriculture and allied activities which includes disbursement for manufacturing of agricultural equipment also. Under the Macro Management Mode of Agriculture scheme, the farmers are helped by distributing the agricultural equipment on subsidy. The number of equipments distributed during last three years under this scheme is given in a statement annexed as Annexure-II(B).

(d) & (e): A statement is annexed as Annexure-III.