The Fifty-Eighth Report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing on ‘”Research and Development in Farm Mechanisation for Small and Marginal Farmers”, tabled in the Lok Sabha Friday recommended among others single standards for farm equipment, GST on spare parts and components of tractors up to 40 HP be reduced from current 12 per cent.

The Committee noted that tractors are most important machine for agriculture, which performs various farm operations. As 86 per cent farmers in India have small holdings of less than 2 hectares, the Committee said that for small and marginal farmers buying the farm equipments even after subsidy is very expensive. Currently tractor parts and components attract GST of 12 per cent, which it has recommended for reduction “suitably” for the tractors upto 40 HP.

The Committee has said standardisation of design of equipment/attachments can be made by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) so that all manufacturers can adhere to the BIS specifications. It pointed out that since farm machinery standardization is a multi-ministerial complex issue the government should make a concrete policy in order to enforce compatibility, matching, interchangeability in the manufacture of farm implement.

‘Promote agri mechanisation’

Further, it also said the government should strive hard to promote agricultural mechanisation by according priority for development of small equipment/machines for small and marginal farmers as there is urgent need to bring in quality and value addition of the farm produce, enabling the farmers to take second and subsequent crops making agriculture more attractive and profitable, an official release said.

Pointing out that no formal study has been conducted to assess farm mechanisation in the country, it said the proposal by ICAR has already been submitted to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DOA&FW) on this issue. The Committee, suggested that the Department must look into the proposal of ICAR regarding the State-wise mechanization gap identified and strategy be formulated so that real-time data can be procured to prepare hassle-free implementable plan for small and marginal farmers.

It also appreciated Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) portal as a single window clearance for the approval of equipment/machinery procurement by individual farmers. However it said for procurement of electronic agricultural equipment/gadgets clearance of the Department of Electronics should be in one go rather than separate procedure.

On the pattern of Directorate of Agricultural Engineering in Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, such a Directorate is needed in each State, the Committee said. It will help meet requirement at Block and District levels to demonstrate, train, help in repairs/maintenance and guide farmers at their doorstep.

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