Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 6: Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers welfare, Shobha Karandlaje, said that instructions have been issued to the dealers to display the maximum selling prices of the agricultural machinery sold by them. 

"The dealers selling agricultural machinery including tractors and tillers have to mandatorily display the maximum selling price of the items. The companies producing agricultural machinery, dealers who sell them, and official websites of different state governments have to publish their prices without exception," Shobha stated. 

The farmers who buy agricultural machinery have to be properly informed about the subsidy extended by the government to the farmers. She said that under the scheme, 50 percent subsidy to common farmers, and 90 percent in the case of scheduled castes and tribes’ farmers subject to a limit of one lac rupees are being given as subsidy. She said there are allegations that the sellers of these machinery collect prices as per their own whims and fancies and cheat the farmers. "We have taken steps to contain this practice. From the year 2014, Rs 5,490 crore grant has been made available and in Karnataka, Rs 560.7 crore subsidy has been given for the purchase of agricultural machinery," she said. 

All over the country, 13,23,733 agricultural machineries have been provided out of which 1,58,725 were given to Karnataka. During the last seven years, 362 high tech hubs have been built and Karnataka has 213 such hubs. Karnataka is ahead in this matter, she stated.