Car-users should bear the burden: Bhure Lal, 1970 batch IAS officer engaged in anti-pollution crusade

 Known as an anti-pollution crusader, Bhure Lal, an IAS officer of the 1970 batch, made his mark wherever he worked during his 55 years service to the nation. He started his career as a commissioned officer in the Indian Army in 1963, took an active part in the 1965 Indo-Pak war in Sialkot sector and joined the IAS in 1970.

Impressed with his honesty and dedication, he was picked by former Prime Minister VP Singh as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office. He got the opportunity of working with two prime ministers. He also served as Secretary, Central Vigilance Commission, Secretary in Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Food Corporation of India and Director, Enforcement Directorate. He retired as a Member of the UPSC.

In the Enforcement Directorate, he took action against leading businessmen and investigated the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) violations in the 1986 Bofors scam, a job which left him facing CBI questioning for months.

Since 1998, he has been working as the Chairman of the Environment Pollution (Prevention) Control Authority (EPCA) to control all kinds of pollution in the NCR region. He is also a member of the monitoring committee on sealing set up by the Supreme Court.

My interview with him which published on December 2018 in The Statesman where he spoke of how one can control pollution levels in the country. Excerpts:

Q: Air quality index in the NCR region has deteriorated sharply during the past few years. It has started affecting public health and is reducing life span in the Capital. What steps has EPCA taken to bring relief to people in the NCR region?

A: Pollution level, mainly air quality, has reached an alarming stage in the capital. We have taken a series of steps to bring down pollution in the region and prepared a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) after evaluating pollution in the NCR. GRAP lists a series of public actions and effective steps to combat public health emergencies due to pollution. This has started showing results as well. This year the air quality situation is much better than in the last few years. Yet there are a lot of steps that need to be taken to fight pollution in the country and stop further degeneration of air quality.

The analysis of air quality trend shows that ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ air quality is anticipated throughout the winter months from November to February and largely ‘poor’ category during the summer months of March to May. We have prepared a roadmap keeping in view the key pollution sources in Delhi and the National Capital Region of Delhi (NCR). On the basis of air quality emergencies, the CPCB headed task force suggests additional special measures that are required to bring down the air pollution levels to desired levels.

Q: Are you happy with the efforts taken by state authorities in controlling pollution?

A: This year winter air quality is not up to the mark, but still it is satisfactory when we compare it to the last few years. This shows that authorities in the NCR region are doing their best to improve air quality. But still, there is a lot more that needs to be done. State enforcing agencies should take it up as a mission and all missing links should be taken care of. They should ensure that air quality does not worsen further and be strict against those violating pollution norms.

Q: What other steps do you suggest should be taken to make NCR region less polluted?

A: When air quality index reaches an alarming level, we have to take harsh measures including a temporary ban on entry of trucks in Delhi, except emergency and essential services, and also stop construction work. Though this affects business activities, we take this decision keeping public health in mind.

Similarly, private vehicles are one of the main reasons for pollution in the Capital. The need of the hour is to put some kind of restrictions on the use of private vehicles and promote public transport system. It would not only reduce pollution but also lead to decongestion of roads. Imagine a car carries a maximum four to five persons whereas a bus carries nearly 60 to 70 people.

And I do not buy the argument that it would cause inconvenience… if we can stop the entry of trucks or construction work for public health, we can do this as well. Authorities and civil society should educate people to give up vehicles for a better environment and for a better future for our young generation.

Parking is another problem due to private vehicles, people have converted vehicle garages into residential areas or shops and park on the road. We suggest two to three times hike in parking fees. Those who have cars should bear the burden, imagine the value of public land being used as car parks. And why should it not be charged from the car owners?

Q: Another reason for the increase in pollution level is stubble burning in neighbouring areas. The government had initiated action against those involved in stubble burning. Do you think the steps are sufficient?

A: The government should adopt a carrot and stick policy. Wrongdoers must be punished. There must be exemplary punitive action against those who burn stubble. And at the same time, farmers should be given subsidies to procure appliances like happy seeder, rotavator and mulcher that helps in converting stubble into manure. Industries which use stubble as raw material need to be promoted, it can be used as fuel, for making alcohol, and other products. Farmers must be given an economical model to use fodder in a profitable way.

Q: Besides government initiatives what else do you suggest to improve the pollution level in the NCR region?

A: Though government and law enforcing agencies are doing their work, no work is complete without the participation of civil society. It is time that civil society joins in and takes it up as a mission to ensure the health and pollution-free atmosphere in the region. Rather I would say NGOs have more of a role to play than government in educating people on the harmful effects of pollution. They can also take the initiative to recycle urban as well as rural waste into some useful products.

Magsaysay award winner Bezwada Wilson, who dared to say: ‘Don’t preach to us, Modi’

He spent nearly 35 years to stop 'manual scavenging', which his family has been doing for centuries. He could have got got a government job after graduation but dedicated all this life for manual scavenging community who sacrifice their lives every day in one manhole or the other in various parts of the country and yet goes unnoticed. His interview with Vijay Thakur appeared in the Statesman on October 1, 2016.

When Bezwada Wilson learnt that he had been named winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his campaign to stop manual scavenging he saw it as an acknowledgement of being on the right path. My fight to eradicate manual scavenging is still on and I will be relaxed the day people are no longer subjected to the inhuman act of removing night soil from dry toilets, said the 50-year old activist.

As a child of the Thoti tribe traditionally manual scavengers he experienced discrimination and humiliation. Thoti is a historically discriminated and untouchable caste of the Kolar Gold Fields area in Karnataka. He was the first in his family to graduate and dare to object to becoming a manual scavenger.

When after completing his graduation he went to the employment exchange to get himself enrolled the officer filled in his desired occupation as scavengers without even consulting Wilson. He felt humiliated tore up the application form in front of all the employment exchange staff and decided to devote his life to fighting manual scavenging.

The first hurdle he faced was from his family who told him to accept that he was a Thoti. Initially, he organised manual scavengers in Karnataka and launched a campaign against manual scavenging CAM. His work was first acknowledged in Kolar Gold Fields then all over Karnataka and later in Andhra Pradesh. In 2004 he moved to Delhi to launch a nationwide Safai Karamchari Andolan and filed public interest litigation in the Supreme Court against the practice of manual scavenging.

In 2009 Wilson was elected an Ashoka Senior Fellow for human rights. A couple of years later the Planning Commission made him convener of a newly constituted sub-group on Safai Karmacharis. His fight for the Dalit cause made him famous and in July this year, he was named for the Ramon Magsaysay award acknowledging his fight for the cause of manual scavenging. Wilson spoke on the condition of Safai Karamcharis in India. Excerpts:

Q: How do you see the Prime Minister’s ‘Clean India’ Campaign?

A: Swachh Bharat campaign is a government of India programme launched by the Prime Minister. I would not go into the purpose and politics behind the Clean India campaign. But I have serious reservations about the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched it from a Balmiki Basti. We the scavenger community have been doing this for the past 5000 years. Suddenly Mr Modi comes and starts preaching cleanliness to us. Imagine starting a literacy campaign from IIT or JNU. If you really want to start a literacy campaign you should go to illiterate people. Similarly, if you really want to start a cleanliness campaign you should go to a Thakur Basti or a Brahmin Basti or an Agarwal Basti why only a Balmiki Basti which has already been engaged in cleanliness for 5000 years. I see a caste-based mindset in the PM launching this campaign from a Balmiki Basti. I say slavery is still continuing in modern India. No man from the Pundit or Thakur community however poor he might be is engaged in scavenging. It appears the PM still thinks that it is only Dalits who would engage in cleaning and not Thakurs or Pundits. That is my main reservation.

Q: What do you think the government should do to promote cleanliness?

A:

First I would urge the top brass in the government to change their mindset. Manual scavenging was stopped in 1993 and till date, nothing has been done to rehabilitate manual scavengers. Imagine a few years back funds allocated to rehabilitate people engaged in scavenging was Rs 570 crore and this year it has been reduced to a mere Rs 10 crore. On the contrary, two years back there was no fund for the Cleanliness campaign and this year it was Rs two lakh crore and may touch Rs 10 lakh crore in the coming years.

What does this show that the government has enough funds for making toilets but no money for those who are cleaning these toilets? This is the irony and shows a typical caste-based mindset.

Q: Do you want the government to do away with manual scavenging?

A: We have capacity and capability to go to the moon, planning for Mars, we have built cryogenic engine,

 launched hundreds of satellites but ironically have not developed a gadget that would replace manual scavengers or would make their job easy. What we are asking is not rocket science. What we are requesting the government is to develop a scientific way to clean sewers without risking the lives of Safai Karamcharis. We are still using an age-old practice of cleaning sewers. Governments irrespective of their political affiliations have done little to save the lives of Dalits engaged in it.nbsp;

In the past two-three years, more than 2370 people have lost their lives while cleaning sewers. Several thousand are losing their eyesight due to exposure to methane gas and thousands of people get jaundice every year due to overexposure to sewer water. You would be shocked to learn that most Safai Karamcharis who frequently enter sewers cannot even breathe naturally they have to make an extra effort to breathe.

Please understand our pain. Our children are not meant to die in sewers or manholes. We are not asking for the moon. We only request the government to stop killing us. There cannot be any explanation for sewer deaths. It is the negligent attitude of the administration that is killing Safai workers. Here you have corporatised toilets. t has suddenly become big business. Unfortunately, you have no system no mechanism.

The government has proposed to build 12 crore toilets which means 12 crore septic tank, but who will clean them? Will these politicians come forward to clean them?

Q: What roadmap do you propose to put an end to the problems of manual scavengers?

A: There are still several lakh dry latrines in the country mainly in Uttar Pradesh Bihar Rajasthan Gujarat parts of Uttarakhand and other states. Dalits are collecting night soil every morning from these toilets and transporting it on their heads. First I urge the government to convert these dry latrines into water toilets or build septic tanks. Rehabilitate people engaged in manual scavenging announce a national scheme for their livelihood. Make modern toilets using the latest science and technology. Our community is always ready to help the government in its clean India campaign. But please Mr Prime Minister stop preaching cleanliness to us Rs we have been doing it for the past 5000 years and know it better than many people.

Q: Has received the Magsaysay award brought any change for you?

A: I have nothing no house no family. This is the office of my organisation and this small room is my office by day and my bedroom at night. The award has no meaning to me except that it has acknowledged we are on the right path. I may get a better hearing now and people might take up my cause more seriously.

Solar energy revolution in Bangladesh: A lesson India must learn how to bring Solar energy within the reach of poor and marginal farmers with little or no investment or subsidy

Bangladesh despite being one of the poorest countries is probably the only country that had covered 12 % of residential areas with more than 4 crores high quality off-grid solar energy powered home.

Following is the Interview of Mohammed Enamul Krim Pavel, who head country's Renewable Energy Department published in The Statesman on November 9, 2019.

Mohammed Enamul Karim Pavel, head of the Bangladesh Renewable Energy Department, has led the push for rooftop solar energy harvesting in his country. The hallmark of Bangladesh’s solar energy revolution is not large power plants, but small solar solutions for poor villages where grid connectivity is hardly accessible.

Md Karim is a marine engineer and masters-degree holder in financial management. He has developed financial plans to give quality power to the poor at an affordable price and with little stress on the government.

In an interview with VIJAY THAKUR, he spoke on the renewable energy sector in Bangladesh. Excerpts:

Q: Bangladesh’s renewable energy sector has not done well in installing large solar power plants like many other countries. What is hampering Bangladesh in promoting big power plants?

A: Certainly, Bangladesh has not done well in big solar projects. It is way behind many countries. But it is how you look at it. From the point of installation capacity, we hardly have any big power project. But if you look at it from the point of view of penetration of solar power plants in our system, it is remarkably good and revolutionary in many ways.

Unlike India and China, we do not even dream of gigawatt solar plants in the near future. However, if we talk of small solar power systems, we have over four million off-grid solar systems, which are powering poor houses in rural and remote areas where the grid is inaccessible. So off-grid solar system coverage is very high. Twelve per cent of our population is living on off-grid solar systems.

Do not consider that these are 100 watts to 5000 watt systems, the fact is that it is giving our people quality power at very reasonable prices meeting minimum requirements of poor villagers who either do not have a grid or cannot afford power connections.

Q: So, you think renewable energy in Bangladesh is a success?

A: Yes, we are the world leader in residential rooftop solar power installations. Though the renewable energy sector has only 3 per cent share in total power generation in Bangladesh, we have covered 12 per cent of residential areas. Four million off-grid solar rooftop plants are the highest in the world. There is no other country close to us in residential rooftop installations. After Bangladesh, it is China which has installed nearly 2 million off-grid rooftop solar plants, which is just half of our capacity. Third world countries, not very rich in resources, have better adoption of solar energy than many developing countries. If you go to remote villages in Bangladesh, you would find more than 50 per cent houses are on off-grid solar power.

It is all because we encouraged technology. In 2004-05, the grid coverage was less than 30 per cent in rural areas. The government thought that instead of waiting for grid connectivity, let us promote off-grid solutions to meet the basic power requirements of villagers. Initially, it was very slow, but after 2008 it increased substantially and spread in villages with the help of government support, subsidy and affordable bank loans. Since 2011 there is no subsidy for residential solar systems but 50 per cent subsidy for irrigation solar pumps. Now, our government’s target is to cover 100 per cent electricity connections off-grid or on-grid by 2021.

Q: What is your plan to connect rooftop solar solutions with on-grid?

A: We have a great target for rooftop solar systems. Unlike India and Pakistan, we have little or no land for big solar projects. Also, Bangladesh is a densely populated country. What the government is planning is to promote on-grid solar systems so a household could sell extra power to the grid and earn money. We have little or no wasteland, almost all land is cultivable, and that’s why the only solution we have is rooftop installations. Government is concentrating on on-grid rooftop solar systems. I would not be surprised if Bangladesh shows a path to developing countries by initiating rooftop on-grid revolutions. We are working on these lines. There are clear instructions from the government not to use agricultural land for large solar power installations.

Q: Then how do you promote big solar power projects?

A: We need to accept the reality that we have no large chunk of wasteland for big solar power projects. But having said that we also acknowledge the fact that we have a large number of garment and textile units in Bangladesh. We have many industries which have more than one lakh to 10 lakh square foot rooftops or wasteland in the industrial premises. This way we can install 500 KW to 10 MW solar power plants in these industries. Bangladesh Renewable Department is encouraging these industries to make use of their roofs for installing power plants. Though it would not be as big as India, if installed in all garment and textile units, the power generation cost would be less or at par with what it is in India. Further, it would increase the profitability and export competitiveness of our garment and textile industry.

Q: Since there is little or no wasteland in Bangladesh, how do you propose to go ahead with the ongoing solar revolution?

A: Where there is a will there is away. While seeking the potential for installation of solar power stations, we realised that we have a large number of rivers. Bangladesh is a land of rivers. We have nearly 240 rivers and large-scale water bodies in our country. We are now planning to harness these water bodies and rivers by installing floating solar power plants on these rivers. Here we have very good potential.

Interestingly it is not only going to generate power for us but would also increase the potential for fisheries. We are told that fish production would go up to where floating solar power plants are installed. As the temperature under these floating power plants is less, fish take rest under its shadow and eat algae on these floating stands on the water bodies.

Q: So solar energy is a social revolution in Bangladesh?

A: Yes, we say it proudly. We are leaders in solar power adoption in rural areas. Bangladesh started the off-grid solar system in 2004 for its poor villagers, when power generation through solar was as high as USD 5 a unit. Still, people adopted it, accepted it and harnessed it, they got good quality power at affordable price. Today solar power production cost is a few cents, and now it makes business sense for residential, commercial as well as for industrial usage.

Q: What would be your next thrust area?

A: Electrical vehicles are going to be another revolution in Bangladesh. We already have more than one million electric rickshaws. We are working out a solution on how to charge electric vehicle batteries. We are trying to create infrastructure. At present, we are recycling five million lead-acid batteries. Next, it would be lithium-ion batteries as they are getting cheaper and cheaper.

Farming has to be made sustainable: Siraj Hussain, Agriculture Secretary who prepared a roadmap for agriculture policy during MODI-1 regime

Farming has to be made sustainable: Siraj Hussain, Agriculture Secretary who prepared a roadmap for agriculture policy during MODI-1 regime (The interview appeared in the Stateman on Feb3, 2017.

Former Agriculture Secretary Siraj Hussain is one of the key persons behind the launch of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s favourite crop insurance scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojna, which was introduced in January last year. He was also behind starting procurement of pulses at market rates under the Price Stabilisation Fund. An IAS officer of the 1979 batch, Mr Hussain served in various positions in the government. During his 35 years of service, he was Chairman and Managing Director of Food Corporation of India, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard University and Managing Director of the UP State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC).

His last assignment was as Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare. In the Agriculture Ministry, he contributed to streamlining Agriculture Trade Policy, the National Agriculture Development Project, Natural Resources Management and Agriculture Extension. He had also initiated the much talked about E-National Agriculture Market (E-NAM). In an interview with VIJAY THAKUR, Mr Hussain spoke about the performance of the Modi government in the agriculture sector. Excerpts:

Q: The Modi government has set an impressive target of doubling farmers’ incomes.  Do you think it will be able to meet the target and what more is needed to achieve it?

A: Actually, the government should first bring more clarity on what they mean by doubling farmers’ incomes. Do they want to double the real income of farmers or do they want to double the nominal income of farmers? If it is the former, the government needs to do much more.

But all this is not very easy. First, the government should take large-scale initiatives to diversify cropping pattern ~ from cereals to other crops. Farmers should be encouraged to diversify from cereals to horticulture, dairy, fisheries. Secondly, the marketing of agricultural produce should be much better organised.

We have recently seen how badly farmers were affected due to demonetisation. The prices of vegetables have gone down considerably. There were few takers for pulses in some areas as there was a bumper crop. Government has to devise a mechanism to ensure farmers receive the correct price.

Thirdly, farmers should be encouraged to use better technologies. Besides adopting good farming practices, the seed replacement ratio has to be achieved, from conventional seeds to new hybrid and GM crop seeds. Lastly and most importantly, efforts should be made to bring down expenditure of farmers to make farming more sustainable.

Here we should also not forget that the Indian agriculture sector depends mainly upon the monsoon. If in the next five years there is a good rain, farmers’ incomes may double provided the government takes some special initiatives on diversification of crops and better marketing strategy. Having said that, I would say this sector mainly depends on good rains. If, like in previous years we face two or three bad monsoons, it would not be easy to double farmers’ incomes.

Q: Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojna (PMFBY) was introduced when you were the Union Agriculture Secretary. How do you see its performance?

A: The crop insurance scheme has been quite successful in some respects. The sum insured under PMFBY has now reached Rs1,36,000 crore from Rs 69,000 crore last year. It is good that the sum insured has increased substantially. But the area insured has increased marginally from 3.38 crore hectares to 3.80 crore hectares, only a 12 per cent increase. Special stress should be laid to increase the crop area.

When this scheme was introduced it was presumed that modern technologies would be used to evaluate crop damage in time and more accurately. Unfortunately, this has not happened on the ground and little use of technology is visible in crop assessment. It was thought that all the revenue staff … 

India to do phase II & III trial of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine

India to do OXFORD COVID-19 VACCINE

In a move that might expedite the commercial production of COVID-19, the Drug Controller of General of India (DGCI) has given approval to Serum Institute of India, Pune to conduct Phase II+III clinical trials of Oxford University-Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine (COVISHIELD) in India.

Once the Phse II & Phase III is over, Serum Institute of India may initiate the commercial production of the vaccine. The Union Ministry of Health, however, did not give details of the testing and when it would be over.

Around 1,600 people are likely to participate in the clinical human trial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford. The first trial has already been completed successfully in UK. The second and third trial is probably done in India so as it could produce it here in India by SII (Serum Institute of India). Government has not yete given details of the trial.

Meanwhile, India continues to improve the Case Fatality Rate (CFR), and maintain its global position of having one of the lowest COVID fatalities rates. With a further fall, the current CFR touched 2.11% today. This is the outcome of the well-conceived and effectively implemented strategy of "Test, Track and Treat" which has guided the COVID management in the country.

The management strategy of COVID-19 also focuses on early detection and isolation of cases with seamless patient management and prioritising care of the high-risk population using field health care workers leading to increase in recoveries across the country. India has seen more than 40,574 patients recovered in the last 24 hours. This takes the total recoveries to 11,86,203 and Recovery Rate to 65.77% amongst COVID-19 patients.

With improving daily recovery number, the gap between the recovered cases & the active cases has increased to more than 6 lakh. Presently, it is 6,06,846. This means the actual active caseload is 5,79,357 and all are under medical supervision.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued Revised Guidelines for International Arrivals in supersession of the Guidelines issued on the subject dated 24th May 2020. They will be operational from 00.01 Hrs, 8th August 2020. For further details:

https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/RevisedguidelinesforInternationalArrivals02082020.pdf

 

For all authentic & updated information on COVID-19 related technical issues, guidelines & advisories please regularly visit: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/ and @MoHFW_INDIA.

Technical queries related to COVID-19 may be sent to technicalquery.covid19@gov.in and other queries on ncov2019@gov.in and @CovidIndiaSeva.

In case of any queries on COVID-19, please call at the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare helpline no.: +91-11-23978046 or 1075 (Toll-free). List of helpline numbers of States/UTs on COVID-19 is also available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/coronvavirushelplinenumber.pdf .

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Rs 1033 crore for Crop Residue Management (CRM) scheme to prevent paddy straw burning for the year 2020-21

Agricultural Mechanization is one of the key drivers for sustainable development of agriculture sector which helps in increasing production by timely farm operations, reducing losses, reducing the cost of operations by ensuring better management of costly inputs. Mechanization also enhances the productivity of natural resources and reduces drudgery associated with various farm operations. Under the hash-tag #AtmaNirbharKrishi, created by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, initiatives are taken by Agriculture Mechanization and Technology Division are:       

 

In order to lay special emphasis towards the promotion of agricultural mechanization in the country and to bring more inclusiveness, Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) had been initiated since April 2014. In the year 2020-21, the budget of Rs. 1033 crores have been provided for the scheme, out of which Rs. 553 crores have been released to the State Governments.

 

Paddy straw burning is one of the major problems in the Northern Region of the country causing environmental pollution. Paddy straw burning is currently practised on a large scale in Punjab & Haryana to clear the fields for Rabi Crop sowing because the time window available between the harvesting of paddy crop and the sowing of next crops is very short (2-3 weeks). With an objective to wean away farmers of this region from Crop Residue Burning, the scheme of CRM (Crop Residue Management) was initiated since 2018 by Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, wherein, farmers are provided machinery for in-situ management of crop residue through the establishment of CHCs (Custom Hiring Centres). Individual farmers are also provided a subsidy for procurement of machinery. Total funds of Rs. 1178.47 crores were provided in the year 2018-19 & 2019-20 to the States of Punjab, Haryana, UP and NCT. In the year 2020-21, Rs. 600 crores have been provided in the budget for the Scheme and Rs.548.20 crores have been released to the states well before time to ensure they can take up the activities in advance.

 

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has also developed a Multilingual Mobile App “CHC- Farm Machinery” which connects the farmers with Custom Hiring Service Centers situated in their locality. This app is facilitating agricultural mechanization in the country by encouraging small & marginal farmers to take machines on rental basis for agriculture practices without them having to purchase the high priced such machines. The App has been further modified and now has been given the acronym of “FARMS-app” (Farm Machinery Solutions-app). The revised version is more user friendly and the scope of the app has also been enhanced. 

 

The pandemic of COVID has influenced the lives of people across the globe and India is no exception to that. Farming activities and farmers also experienced the impact of this pandemic as the COVID resulted in lock-down thereby influenced the movement of farm inputs including farm machinery from one location to other. Lockdown came as a sudden shock for the farming community when harvesting season for Rabi crops had just commenced. Migration of agricultural labourers to their native places during the lockdown suddenly created a shortage of farm labourers. To mitigate the effect of the shortage of farm labourers and to ensure the timely harvesting of Rabi crops and uninterrupted supply of Farm implements and machinery, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry in coordination with Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, relaxed the following activities in Agricultural Machinery sector:

 

• A provision in the Government guidelines that Farming Operations by Farmers and Farm Workers in the field would continue during lock-down.
• Operations of Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) related to Farm Machinery were relaxed.
• Shops of Agricultural machinery and its spare Parts (Including Supply Chain) and repairs to remain open.
• Seamless, intra and inter-State movement of harvesting and sowing related machines like combine harvesters and other agriculture/horticulture implements was ensured.
• Under the Government subsidy programmes, agricultural manufactures were exempted from essential testing related activities like a random selection of test samples, subsequent batch testing after the expiry validity of test reports, updating of CMVR, COP &Type approval applicable to Tractors, Power Tillers, Combine Harvesters and other self-propelled agricultural machinery till 31.12.2020. Testing of tractors as per revised BIS Standard IS 12207-2019 and Implementation of new technical critical specifications of 51 agricultural types of machinery has also been deferred till 31.12.2020.
• Due to lock-down, closing out of borders and quarantine measures, disrupted the cross border movements of Agricultural machines like combine Harvesters & other agricultural machines across Districts & States. The timely intervention of the M&T Division of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry and coordination with the State Nodal officers of Agricultural machinery, District Administration and Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers ensured the free movement of Agricultural machines across the borders.

 

The pandemic of COVID has ramifying effects even in the lives of migrant labourers who basically migrate temporarily to urban agglomerates in search of jobs. Migrant labourers in large numbers migrated back to their native places due to lock-down and also due to the fear of future uncertainties. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare rose to the occasion to help such migrant workers. With an objective to enhance their employment opportunities in their local areas, a special drive for Skilling the Migrant Labourers in the field of agricultural machinery under “Aatm Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan/Krishi” has been initiated. Under this campaign, in-house Skilling training programmes in 8 identified job roles/Qualification packs is being organized at Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes (FMTTIs) at Budni in Madhya Pradesh and Hisar in Haryana. The first batch of the Training has already been started with 56 trainees from Madhya Pradesh at CFMTTI, Budni and 68 trainees from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh at NRFMTTI, in Hisar. It was also crucial to institutionalizing such initiative, therefore, necessary guidelines for Skilling Programmes of migrant labourers have also been incorporated in the operational Guidelines of Sub Mission On Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM). The copy of Operational Guideline is available on the web portal http://farmech.dac.gov.in/