MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI TARIQ ANWAR)
(a) & (b): Farm power available per hectare of land is one of the important
indices of progress in agriculture production and productivity. Farm power
availability in Indian agriculture was 1.5 kW/ha in 2005-06 which is substantially
lower as compared to developed countries like Japan, USA, UK, France and
Germany. It indicates that India is behind the developed countries in terms of
utilization of farm power which is mainly due to the fact that the guiding principle in
mechanising Indian agriculture has been to maintain a socially desirable mix of
human labour, draught animals and mechanical power and growth of agricultural
mechanization has been closely linked with overall agricultural development of
different agro-climatic regions of the country.
There has been positive co-relationship between farm power availability and
increased productivity. Those States where availability of farm power is more have,
in general, higher productivity as compared to other states.
(c) to (e): In order to lay special emphasis on farm mechanization and to bring
more inclusiveness, a dedicated Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization for the
XII Plan has been proposed with an estimated outlay of Rs. 2000 crores for the
entire plan period. The Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization will provide
assistance for Promotion and Strengthening of Agricultural Mechanisation through
Training, Testing and Demonstration, Post Harvest Technology and Management;
Procurement of selected Agriculture Machinery and Equipments; Establishment of
Farm Machinery Banks for Custom Hiring; Establishing Hi-Tech Productive
Equipment Centres to Target Low Productive Agricultural Regions and Assistance
for increasing farm mechanization.
