Why in News?
The government highlighted the achievements of SMAM, including wider access to farm machinery, Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), and drone-based precision farming.
Key Facts
- Launched in 2014-15 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under RKVY (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana).
- Promotes mechanization among small & marginal farmers, women, SC/STs, FPOs, SHGs, and rural entrepreneurs.
- Supports:
- Subsidies for farm machinery
- Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs)
- Farm Machinery Banks (FMBs)
- Hi-Tech Hubs
- Training, testing, and demonstrations
- Drone-based agriculture
Financial Assistance
- 40% subsidy for general farmers.
- 50% subsidy for SC/STs, small & marginal farmers, and North Eastern States.
- Funding pattern: 60:40 (Centre:State) for most states, 90:10 for NE & Himalayan states, and 100% Central funding for UTs
Achievements (2014-15 to 2025-26)
- ₹9,404.47 crore central assistance.
- 21.61 lakh farm machines distributed.
- 27,554 CHCs established.
- 25,608 Farm Machinery Banks created.
- 646 Hi-Tech Hubs established.
Drone Promotion
- ₹52.5 crore allocated.
- 40,928 drone demonstrations over 40,918 hectares (2023-24 to 2025-26).
- ICAR institutes, KVKs, and SAUs receive 100% support (up to ₹10 lakh per drone).
- FPOs receive 75% grant.
Special Features
- 30% of total funds earmarked for women farmers.
- Special incentives for North Eastern States, including up to 100% subsidy for small machinery.
Significance
- Enhances farm productivity and efficiency.
- Reduces labour dependence and cost of cultivation.
- Promotes precision farming and post-harvest mechanization.
- Improves access to modern machinery for small farmers.
[2023] Which one of the following best describes the concept of ‘Small Farmer Large Field’?
[A] Resettlement of a large number of people, uprooted from their countries due to war, by giving them a large cultivable land which they cultivate collectively and share the produce
[B] Many marginal farmers in an area organize themselves into groups and synchronize and harmonize selected agricultural operations
[C] Many marginal farmers in an area together make a contract with a corporate body and surrender their land to the corporate body for a fixed term for which the corporate body makes a payment of agreed amount to the farmers
[D] A company extends loans, technical knowledge and material inputs to a number of small farmers in an area so that they produce the agricultural commodity required by the company for its manufacturing process and commercial production