Avail subsidy on agricultural machinery in Himachal Pradesh is available online since July 18.
Since July 18, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Department has turned on its Agri Machinery Subsidy Portal. The farmers in the state are now allowed to make applications to get government subsidies on different kinds of agricultural equipments through online. The scheme is meant to help farmers as they pay less money on purchasing modern machinery to use in the farms.
Acording to the officials, this subsidy scheme is being executed under the RKVY schemes and Sub-Mission on Agricultural Machinization (SMAM). The portal will be open up through the tenth of August. In this time, farmers have an opportunity to submit online application seeking subsidies of machinery diseases in power tillers, tractor GPS (under 20 HP), brush cutters, power weeder, sprayers, among other crucial machines applied in agriculture processes.
Application and Eligibility
Online application will start on July 18 and will be running until August 10. Only farmers who would be registered during this period would be put into consideration to receive benefits of subsidies. Unexpectedly, late applications are not going to be considered in any case.
The applicant should be a resident farmer of Himachal Pradesh and should submit necessary documents such as Aadhaar card, land ownership profile and bank account information to become qualified. The documents have to be sent online via the Agri Machinery Portal.
Categories Under Subsidy of Machinery
Some of the agricultural machines that are to be subsidized under this scheme include:
Power tillers
Power weeders
Mini tractors (less than 20 horsepower)
Brush cutters
Power sprayers
Knapsack sprayers
Seed drills
Reapers
Rotavators
The other small and medium sized agricultural equipment
It has been clarified by the officials that the subsidy will be given on a basis of availability and category-wise target limits designed by the Agriculture Department. The equipment that he/she chooses when applying it cannot be changed afterward, so the selection process has to be done tumultously.
Selection and Priority Process
After application period lapses the selection will be done following some guidelines. Favour will be given to small and marginal farmers, women farmers and SC/ST applicants according to the government norms. The complete list of the chosen beneficiaries will be placed in the official portal.
It is also worthy to mention that not all applications get approved as far as subsidies go. The department will vet applications and fully verified entries only will be considered. The approved people will receive direct benefit transfer (DBT) in their bank accounts.
Farmers Important Guidelines
The authorities have encouraged everyone interested in farming to read the guidelines keenly before submitting them. After the application has been sent it cannot be re-edited. Thus, every information should be proper and documents have to be clear and valid.
Additionally, the farmers are recommended to retain a copy of the application number and the receipt on future use. Any misinformation can cancel the application and result into prosecution.
The importance of the Scheme Why the Scheme?
The shift is one of the strategies of the state government to encourage mechanization in the agriculture sector and minimize the use of labors. Through the application of sophisticated equipment, farmers are able to increase production, enhance the health of the soil as well as minimise the cost with time.
Now that the agricultural season is on, this subsidy would be of great support to farmers in preparing more and thus making a lot of efficiency in their crop production.
Final Words
Agri Machinery Portal is one of the most important projects to the farmers in Himachal Pradesh who want to modernize their agriculture system. There is a window of application up to August 10, and farmers, in this case, should apply early to prevent last-minute hiccups. The government officials have given guarantees to transparency of the process and the provision of benefits to the deserving applicants on time.
