Assam govt. to distribute 26000 tractor to the farmers this year

Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said  under Chief Minister Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana (CMSGUY), the state government will distribute 26,000 numbers tractor to each revenue village in the state in this financial year.

While addressing a press conference held in Guwahati, the Assam finance minister said the farm mechanization will go a long way for enhancing the productivity and production of various crops and also will help the farmers to go for multi cropping.

“Under the CMSGUY, the state government had already constituted the Mega Mission Society under chairmanship of Chief Minister and co-chaired by the state finance minister. The state finance department had released a fund of Rs 1500 crore to the Mega Mission Society. Under the Mega Mission Society, nine departments including Agriculture, Sports and Youth Welfare, Information and Technology department had registered Mini Mission Society,” Sarma Said.

The Assam finance minister said that, to development in rural areas, the state government has looked three anti-point activities including farm mechanization, sports field development and to set up Village Knowledge Centre in this year.

“Under farm mechanization, the government will provide a huge amount of 70 per cent subsidy for each tractor to a maximum of Rs 5.5 lakh on the total cost of tractor unit. 20 per cent will provide by the banks with low interest rate and remaining 10 per cent will pay by the beneficiaries. To access the tractor, any 8-10 adult farmers of a village should to form a group and the group should have a common bank account having minimum 10 per cent of the tractor as bank balance. Bank credit linkage is compulsory. Tractors unit will be registered in the name but hypothecated with the bank for a minimum period of six years,” Himanta Biswa Sarma Said.

The Assam finance minister further said under the CMSGUY, the state government will engage a Lead Block Coordinator in each block to prepare village development plan and the recruitment will be held all India basis.

On the other hand, Assam agriculture minister Atul Bora said that, this is the largest farm mechanization in the state so far.

“The state agriculture department had already distributed over 4000 power tillers to the farmers and target to distribute over 1 lakh shallow tubewell in this year,” Atul Bora Said.

The state government had adopted the CMSGUY in last year state budget.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)