Even though the State Government claims to have given much priority on the agriculture sector,
farmers have alleged that they have not been given subsidised paddy harvesting equipment yet.
Though they submit applications in the Directorate of Agriculture office for purchase of paddy harvesting machines at subsidised price during the harvesting time but get very negative response, farmers alleged.
The Government claims that it provides subsidies to farmers on purchase of all types of agricultural machineries used in paddy cultivation.
The subsidy is given from Rs 90,000 to Rs 6 lakh on tractor, power tiller, paddy harvester and paddy transplanting machine, basing on their prices. It gives 50 per cent subsidy for purchase of paddy transplanting machines.
But, farmers need to go through a lengthy process to avail subsidised farm equipment. First, they need to apply to the block-level agriculture authorities, who would register their names through internet. Then names of farmers would be chosen through a lottery system for each category of equipment. Then winners would get subsidies, sources said.
However, farmers have expressed unhappiness over this lottery and demanded that first-come-first-get basis selection of deserving farmers.
Earlier, registered agencies were providing machineries to farmers in advance. later, the farmers were receiving subsidy amount from the Government. But after
However, due to lottery system the firms are not providing the equipment to the peasants during the cultivation for which they are facing problems in galore.