Nagaland
Centre releases INR 7.57 crore for Nagaland under SMAM
Our Reporter
Dimapur, June 11 (EMN): To empower the farmers through sub-mission on agricultural mechanisation (SMAM) scheme, government of India has released funds for various activities of farm mechanisation like establishment of custom hiring centres, farm machinery bank, high-tech hubs and distribution of various agricultural machinery to name a few to different states.
“The government of India has released INR 7.57 crore as 1st instalment under SMAM 2021-22 for Nagaland distribution of 497 numbers of various machines and equipments to the farmers on subsidy and establishment of 25 farm machinery banks at village level,” an updated from the ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare stated on Friday.
The report maintained that during the period from 2014-15 to 2020-21, an amount of INR 110.05 crore have been released to Nagaland by the department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW).
“Agricultural mechanisation is one of the key drivers for the sustainable development of the agriculture sector. Sustainable agriculture mechanisation growth will require appropriate and precision agricultural machinery adequately supported by the latest technology
“Agricultural mechanisation plays a vital role in optimising the use of land, water energy resources, manpower and other inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides to maximize the productivity of the available cultivable area and make agriculture a more profitable and attractive profession for rural youth,” the ministry stated.
Earlier this year, the state department of Agriculture had selected 35 youths from different districts of the state and provided training under SMAM scheme at NER Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute (NERFMTTI) Biswanath Chariali, Tezpur, in Assam from March 8 to 19. The department had informed earlier this year that five more youths would be send again for the training as the target set was for 40 youths.