1Extension Education Institute, Nilokheri, Haryana
2Department of Agricultural Extension Education, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana
Promotion of CHCs for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi’ (CRM) under which 80 per cent of subsidy is provided for machinery for management of crop residue in the farm itself besides drudgery reduction, minimizing the cost of cultivation and efficient use of resources and applied inputs. In spite of such crucial roles of farm mechanization, it is still beyond the reach of many farmers in India due to various constraints faced by them. The investigation was carried out in Haryana with a sample size of 90 respondents availing services from the custom hiring centres (CHC) in villages which were selected following multistage sampling and Ex-post facto research design. High initial costs, no rate fixation by village committees and insufficient no. of machinery or implements at peak seasons were very serious constraints related to inputs of CHCs for their promotion. Similarly, delayed operations through false promises to keep intact the customer, no pooling of machinery, farm implements or driver services etc., high hiring charges especially at aberrant weather conditions at maturity of crops and poor quality of service at peak seasons were very serious constraints faced by farmers in utilization of CHC services. So Custom Hiring Services can be promoted by replacement of High power multi operation big machinery with low power single operation machinery provision in future CHCs for wider application and higher productivity and profitability of Rice-Wheat cropping system of the country.
Agriculture, Constraints, Custom hiring centres, Custom hiring service utilization, Farm mechanization, Suggestions
