Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Jul 30: Farmers in the district are not receiving any benefits from the Krishi Yanthradhaare project, which was introduced for their benefit.

Seven out of the nine centers established to provide agricultural equipment on rent have closed. Only two centers, in Udupi and Vandse, remain operational. Officials from the agricultural department attribute the closures to the expiration of tender periods and insufficient rent specified by the government, which is unsustainable due to high fuel and maintenance costs. Farmers report that equipment is rusting at these inactive centers.

Farmers primarily demand sapling planting and harvesting machines. With these centers closed, they now have nowhere to turn. The project, introduced in 2014 to alleviate the burden on farmers, is almost defunct. The maintenance of Krishi Yanthradhaare centers was initially entrusted to Dharmasthala Grama Vikas organization and other entities. Currently, the two functioning centers are maintained by Easy Life.

Assistant director Pooja N stated that some centers had to be closed because the organizations managing them did not wish to continue their contracts after the tender periods ended. She mentioned that if other organizations express interest, the management of these centers could be transferred to them.

B Satyanarayana Udupa, chief secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Sangha Udupi, suggested that the maintenance of Krishi Yanthradhaare machines should be handed over to agricultural cooperative societies for the convenience of farmers.

Udupa also pointed out that when agricultural equipment was available on rent from Krishi Yanthradhaare centers, private individuals charged similar or lower rates. Now, with the centers closed, private rates have increased significantly, leaving farmers with no alternatives.

Furthermore, Udupa criticized the government for not providing grants to purchase new machinery. The cost of repairing old equipment is high, and many machines have rusted, making it difficult for any organization to manage these centers.