Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)

Context:

To empower the farmers through Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) scheme, Government of India has released funds for various activities of Farm Mechanization like Establishment of Custom Hiring Centres, Farm Machinery Bank, High-tech Hubs and distribution of various agricultural machinery etc to different states.

About Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)

• Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched a Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) in 2014-15
• Objectives of SMAM are to increasing the reach of farm mechanization to small and marginal farmers and to the regions & difficult area where farm power availability is low.
• To boost up mechanization in the agriculture sector improved agricultural implements and machinery are essential inputs for modern agriculture that enhance the productivity of crops besides reducing human drudgery and cost of cultivation.
• Mechanization also helps in improving the utilization efficiency of other inputs therefore considered to be one of the most important segments of the agriculture sector to boost the income of farmers and growth of the agricultural economy.
• For strengthening of agricultural mechanization in the country and to bring more inclusiveness Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) has been introduced with the main objectives of are to promote ‘Custom Hiring Centres’ and ‘Hi-tech Hubs of High-Value Machines’ to offset the adverse economies of scale arising due to small and fragmented landholding and high cost of individual ownership; Creating awareness among stakeholders through demonstration and capacity building activities and ensuring performance testing and certification of agricultural machines at designated testing centres located all over the country.

Mission Strategy

To achieve the above objectives, the Mission will adopt the following strategies:

• Conduct performance testing for various farm machineries and equipments at the four Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes (FMTTIs), designated State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) and ICAR institutions.
  • Promote farm mechanization among stakeholders by way of onfield and off-field training and demonstrations.
  • Provide financial assistance to farmers for procurement of farm machinery and implements.
  • Establish custom hiring centres of location and crop specific farm machinery and implements.
  • Provide financial assistance to small and marginal farmers for hiring machinery and implements in low mechanized regions.

Mission Components

1. Promotion and Strengthening of Agricultural Mechanization through Training, Testing and Demonstration
2. Aims to ensure performance testing of agricultural machinery and equipment, capacity building of farmers and end users and promoting farm mechanization through demonstrations.

• Demonstration, Training and Distribution of Post Harvest Technology and Management (PHTM)
• Aims at popularizing technology for primary processing, value addition, low cost scientific storage/transport and the crop by-product management through demonstrations, capacity building of farmers and end users. Provides financial assistance for establishing PHT units.

• Financial Assistance for Procurement of Agriculture Machinery and Equipment
• Promotes ownership of various agricultural machinery & equipments as per norms of assistance.
• Establish Farm Machinery Banks for Custom Hiring
  • Provides suitable financial assistance to establish Farm Machinery Banks for Custom Hiring for appropriate locations and crops.

• Establish Hi-Tech, High Productive Equipment Hub for Custom Hiring
  • Provides financial assistance to set up hi-tech machinery hubs for high value crops like sugarcane, cotton etc.

• Promotion of Farm Mechanization in Selected Villages
  • Provides financial assistance to promote appropriate technologies and to set up Farm Machinery Banks in identified villages in the states.

• Financial Assistance for Promotion of Mechanized Operations/hectare Carried out Through Custom Hiring Centres
  • Provides financial assistance on per hectare basis to the beneficiaries hiring machinery/equipments from custom hiring centres in low mechanized areas.

• Promotion of Farm Machinery and Equipment in North-Eastern Region
  • Extends financial assistance to beneficiaries in high-potential but low mechanised states of north-east.

Funding Provisions

• SMAM will have Central Sector Schemes under component No.1 & 2 (given above) in which Government of India contributes 100%.
• It will be a Centrally Sponsored Schemes are covered under component No. 3 to 8 (given above) including Administrative and Flexi funds in which Government of India contributes 60% and states contribute 40% except North eastern states and Himalayan regions states where it is 90 %(Central Share) and 10% (State Share). For Union Territories, it is 100% centre share.

Green Revolution– Krishonnati Yojana:

• Green Revolution– Krishonnati Yojana is an Umbrella Scheme comprising both Central Sector as well as Centrally Sponsored Schemes/Missions.
• The government of India introduced the green revolution Krishonnati Yojana in 2005 to boost the agriculture sector.
• These schemes look to develop the agriculture and allied sector in a holistic and scientific manner to increase the income of farmers by enhancing production, productivity and better returns on produce.
• This Umbrella Scheme has the following 12 Schemes/Missions:
  • Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
  • National Mission on Oil Seeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)
  • National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
  • National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
  • Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
  • Sub-Mission on Seeds & Planting Material (SMSP)
  • Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)
  • Sub-Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine (SMPPQ)
  • Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Census, Economics and Statistics
  • Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation
  • Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Marketing (ISAM)
  • National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGP-A).

Note: The Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana was approved coterminous with the period of the Fourteenth Finance Commission from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

Source: PIB