State to set up training centre to help farmers handle heavy machineries

Kolkata: Taking a lesson from Covid situation when farmers had to become reliant on heavy machineries for sowing and harvest of crops, the state government has taken a move to set up the first of its kind training centre at Mati Tirtha in Burdwan to make farmers self-dependent in maintenance of the machineries.

The initiative will also help in creation of job opportunities in the rural parts of

the state.

Farmers had initially got panicked during lockdown when they faced the acute crisis of manpower to

work in fields for harvest of crops.

But nearly 1,400 custom hiring centres that were set up by the Mamata Banerjee government across the state came to a rescue as farmers got an opportunity to hire high end agri-machineries from these centres.

Among various machines there are at least 3,000 combine harvester machines, each of which cost at least Rs 26 lakh, is available in the state at

present.

But often it was found that snag developed in the machineries had come up as cause of concerns in certain areas. In a bid to repair the snag, mechanics had to be brought from other places. As a result it becomes a time taking

affair.

According to an official of the state Agriculture department, the step has been taken to set up a centre where

farmers and rural populace

can undertake training so that they can himself repair the snag as and when required. It will save both time and expense.

The first of its kind training centre in the state will come up at Matir Tirtha in East Burdwan. After undertaking the training, youths in the rural parts can also earn their livelihood by becoming specialists in repairing of these high-end agri-machineries.

At present there is only once such training centre at Narendrapur in South 24-Parganas.

But the one that will come up at Mati Tirtha is first of its kind in the state in an updated format.