Vijayawada: The farm mechanisation initiative of Andhra Pradesh govt is receiving a good and positive response from farmers across the state. More than 25,000 farmers benefited from the scheme within the first 45 days of its launch, with subsidies amounting to 61 crore disbursed for the purchase of essential agricultural machinery.After a five-year gap, the State relaunched this scheme as a flagship programme under the sub-mission on agricultural mechanization (SMAM), targeting primarily small and marginal farmers. In a key change from previous models, the new system offers a frontend subsidy model—where farmers receive a 50% subsidy directly at the time of purchase rather than paying the full amount upfront and claiming it later. This shift is encouraging more farmers to come forward and invest in modern farm tools, easing their financial burden and making mechanised agriculture more accessible.The scheme covers a comprehensive range of equipment, from land preparation to harvesting, with a special focus on reaching rainfed and tribal regions. This is expected to reduce dependency on manual labour and enhance productivity in the agriculture sector. The initiative is managed through the Karshak Portal – FM App, developed by NIC-AP, which integrates data from multiple govt departments to verify eligibility and prevent duplication. These include land ownership (webland), cultivation records (ePanta), family eligibility (GSWS), forest cultivator data (Giribhoomi), and previous subsidy status from the agriculture department. Applications, beneficiary selection, progress tracking, and grievance handling are all conducted online, ensuring a transparent and efficient system.“The AP Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd (AP AGROS) is functioning as the nodal agency for this initiative, managing logistics, coordinating with suppliers, and ensuring on-ground delivery of equipment. The govt is committed to expanding the scheme across all districts to strengthen farm infrastructure and help small and marginal farmers adopt modern, technology-based farming practices,” said S Dilli Rao, director of the Andhra Pradesh agriculture department.
