AgriNation News Network

Patna. 23 Feb 2018

Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Thursday underlined the importance of mechanisation in agriculture-related work and said it would have to be popularised to enhance farmers’ income.

He inaugurated the Agro Bihar fair in which agriculture equipment manufacturers from Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and more are showcasing their products. The fair concludes on February 25.

Sushil Modi directed agriculture officials to get details of equipment used for vegetable farming and make them available to farmers.

Agriculture minister Prem Kumar said the department was providing subsidy to individuals and groups to set up custom hiring centres, which rent out equipment for mechanised farming. For individuals, 50 per cent of Rs 40 lakh of the project cost is given as subsidy for opening such centres. If taken up by a group of farmers of cooperatives then the subsidy amount rises to 80 per cent. The department has received 87 applications.

The minister also pointed out that at this year’s fair, the special attraction was portable cold storage, which can be of great help to farmers as far as enhancing the shelf life of perishable items was concerned.

As the agriculture department has made special arrangements for transferring the subsidy amount, the bank accounts of farmers purchasing items in the fair, the first day witnessed large number of farmers purchasing items live combined harvesters, power tillers, mini rubber rice mill and power sprayer among others. Subsidy to the tune of Rs 1.48 crore was reimbursed to the farmers who purchased these equipment.

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