MANU/PIBU/0396/2018

Department/Board : Press Information Bureau

Date : 07.03.2018

Cabinet approves promotion of agricultural mechanisation for in-situ management of crop residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ Management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi.

The total outgo from the Central funds would be Rs. 1151.80 crore (Rs. 591.65 crore in 2018-19 and Rs. 560.15 crore in 2019-20).

Components of the Scheme

(i) Establish Farm Machinery Banks for Custom Hiring of in -situ crop residue management machinery. Financial assistance @80% of the project cost will be provided to the cooperative societies of the farmers, FPOs, Self Help Groups, Registered Farmers Societies/ Farmers Group, Private Entrepreneurs, Group of Women Farmers.

(ii) Financial Assistance to the farmers for Procurement of Agriculture Machinery and Equipment for in -situ crop residue management. Financial assistance @50% of the machinery/ equipment will be provided to individual farmer for crop residue management.

(iii) Information, Education and Communication for awareness on in-situ crop residue management. Financial assistance will be provided to the State Government/ KVKs, ICAR Institutes, Central Government Institutes, PSUs, etc. for the activities to be undertaken towards information, education and communication. The activities will involve mass awareness campaigns through short and long films, documents, radio and TV programmes, demonstration camps at various levels, capacity building programme, advertisement in print media, star campaigning, award for Village/ Gram Panchayat for achieving Zero Straw Burning, panel discussions on Doordarshan, DD Kisan and other private channels, etc.

Beneficiaries

(i) Respective State Governments through District Level Executive Committee (DLEC) will identify various beneficiaries and location - specific agricultural equipment depending on the farming system and will identify and select beneficiaries for establishment of Farm Machinery Bank for Custom Hiring and procurement of machines on individual ownership basis to avail the benefit in transparent and time bound manner.

(ii) The State Nodal Department / DLEC may tie up with the Banks for credit requirements of the beneficiaries. Name and details of selected beneficiaries will be documented at ........