PIB TrackerFarm mechanization for the 'unreached': the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization at a glance
A backgrounder details SMAM, the 2014-15 scheme under RKVY that has put ₹9,404 crore behind 21.61 lakh farm machines and 40,928 drone demonstrations — reaching small and marginal farmers, women and SC/ST groups through Custom Hiring Centres.
What happened
- A backgrounder details the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), launched in 2014-15 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the RKVY.
- Since inception, ₹9,404.47 crore has supported the distribution of 21.61 lakh farm machines to individual farmers.
- Over 40,928 drone demonstrations across 40,918 hectares (₹52.5 crore) promoted precision agriculture.
- SMAM aims to 'reach the unreached' — small and marginal farmers, women, SCs, STs, FPOs, SHGs and rural entrepreneurs, with a North-East emphasis.
- It promotes Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) for affordable machinery rental and supports testing and certification of equipment.
For Prelims
- SMAM: The Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (2014-15) — a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
- Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs): Units of farm machinery available for rent — key for small and marginal farmers who can't afford to own costly equipment.
- RKVY: Launched 2007 to incentivise states to raise public investment in agriculture; restructured as RKVY-RAFTAAR (2017-18).
- Kisan drones: Drones for spraying and monitoring under the precision-agriculture push (with SMAM demonstrations and the 'Drone Didi'/Namo Drone Didi scheme).
- Farm power: Mechanization raises 'farm power availability' (kW/ha) — India lags advanced farming nations, especially in the East and North-East.
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme: Jointly funded by Centre and states (a defined cost-sharing ratio), unlike a fully Centre-funded Central Sector Scheme.
For UPSC: Use SMAM to discuss raising farm productivity and incomes through mechanization, and equity via the 'reach the unreached' CHC/rental model for small farmers, women and SC/ST groups. Anchor RKVY/RKVY-RAFTAAR, Custom Hiring Centres, kisan drones/precision agriculture, and the small-landholding and farm-power constraints that mechanization addresses.
What it is NOT: This is an explainer on an existing scheme, not a new launch or budget. SMAM is a delivery/subsidy mechanism for machinery access, not a price-support or income scheme; the CHC model targets rental access rather than individual ownership.
For Mains
Syllabus: GS3.4 · GS2.10 · Linkage L2
Anchor
Mechanization for productivity and equity — extending farm machinery to small farmers, women and SC/ST groups to cut costs and enable timely operations.
Substantiation (data)
SMAM (2014-15, under RKVY): ₹9,404.47 crore, 21.61 lakh machines distributed; 40,928 drone demonstrations over 40,918 ha; CHCs, testing/certification and North-East focus.
Exemplification
Custom Hiring Centres for rental access, kisan-drone precision agriculture, and hi-tech equipment hubs as the delivery model.
Problematisation
Small, fragmented landholdings, high capital costs, low farm power in the East/North-East, and skill and repair-ecosystem gaps limit mechanization's reach.
Way-forward
Scale CHCs and drones, target the North-East and low-farm-power regions, and integrate mechanization with FPOs and custom-hiring entrepreneurship.
Position
Government stance: inclusive, 'reach the unreached' mechanization to modernise agriculture and raise farmer incomes.
Deploys into: Major cropping patterns, farm mechanization and technology in agriculture (GS3.4) · government policies and interventions for the farm sector (GS2.10 — SMAM/RKVY) · Custom Hiring Centres, kisan drones, RKVY-RAFTAAR and equity in access to farm technology.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare · 2026-07-09 · PRID 2282697 · PIB source ↗