RAISEN, Apr 11: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said agri road maps providing advisory based on agro-climatic conditions and linking farmers with central schemes will be launched for four Madhya Pradesh districts on Sunday, as part of a larger exercise to cover all states.
The road maps for Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore and Dewas will be unveiled in the presence of the state agriculture minister and secretary, Chouhan told reporters on the sidelines of the Unnat Krishi Mahotsav here.
“We will urge them to implement it,” he said.
The minister said that agri road maps were the need of the hour as farmers remained unaware of scientific farming methods and schemes available to them. The advisory, he said, would cover end-to-end information – from “bheej se mandi (seed to market)” – across agro-climatic zones.
Since agriculture is a state subject, the road maps are being prepared by scientists in consultation with the respective state governments. Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have already expressed interest, Chouhan said, adding that preparations for those states were underway.
On farm mechanisation, Chouhan said the government’s focus went beyond individual machinery subsidies and aimed at building a network of Custom Hiring Centers and Farm Machinery Banks at the village level.
These centres are being established through Panchayats, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), farmer groups and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), allowing small and marginal farmers to access modern equipment on rent.
Under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), financial assistance of 40 to 80 per cent of the project cost is being provided, with support available for projects worth up to Rs 30 lakh, he said.
Responding to a query on whether Custom Hiring Centers could be set up using MPLADS funds – similar to community gyms, Chouhan said MPLADS was designed for permanent assets such as roads, schools and healthcare facilities and could not be used for centres that operate on a rental and operational model.
“Custom Hiring Centers are being promoted through specific agricultural mechanisation schemes,” he said, adding that this approach upheld both policy intent and transparency.
He said MPs and MLAs could, however, play a key role by facilitating approvals, monitoring implementation and advocating for proposals from farmer groups, FPOs and Panchayats before state and central governments.
On private sector participation, the minister said companies and entrepreneurs have already entered the space in several states. The government, he added, was working to encourage a public-private partnership model involving FPOs, Panchayats and private players to run such centres and ensure timely, affordable services to farmers.
On climate change, Chouhan said scientific institutions were developing crop varieties resilient to extreme heat, waterlogging and water-scarce conditions, with rapid dissemination to farmers underway. (PTI)
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