Marsyangdi Rural Municipality of Lamjung has given hand tractors to 73 farmers with 50% subsidy.
According to Vinod Dahal, head of rural municipality agriculture branch, under the approved agricultural mechanization program of the current financial year, hand tractors have been distributed to the farmers of all 9 wards of the rural municipality.
As per the contract, Bhanu Enterprises located in Persang of Kaski provided tractors for 24 lakh 64 thousand as per the contract, as the rural municipality had initially invited bids for 65 tractors. Later, the rural municipality brought 8 tractors at a cost of 288,000 rupees. Farmers have got hand tractors with a 50% subsidy ranging from Rs 18,750 to Rs 22,000.
According to the demand of the farmers, the rural municipality brought and distributed 6 and 7 horsepower tractors that run on petrol and diesel, said Arjun Chapai, the chief administrative officer of the rural municipality. According to him, wheelbarrows will also be distributed with 50% subsidy for plowing the fields during dry season.
Village Chairman Arjun Gurung said that in accordance with the modernization of agriculture, hand tractors have been provided to the farmers. According to the demand of the farmers, we had distributed hand tractors in the previous year as well. We distributed this year as well. We also monitor its utilization," he said.
According to him, farmers have started demanding hand tractors recently due to lack of oxen, young generation going to work abroad and lack of farmland in the village. On the other hand, farmers have demanded hand tractors saying that hand tractors can sow faster than oxen. We have distributed hand tractors to the farmers on priority basis. We are engaged in mechanization as well as other works for modernization in agriculture, he said.
