Status of farm power availability in the selected villages of Kathua district (J&K State)

A survey conducted in 40 villages in Kathua district of Jammu region of J&K state revealed that the average unit farm power availability (kW/ha), land holding (ha), cropping intensity (per cent) and irrigation intensity (per cent) in the selected villages were 1.13, 1.12, 181.22 and 33.58, respectively. The availability of draught animals, tractors, diesel engines and electric motors were 1197.3, 15.19, 0.66 and 48.23 per thousand ha of cultivable area, respectively. It also revealed that the unit power availability was less than 0.5, 0.5–0.75, 0.75–1.0, 1.0–2.0, 2.0–3.0 and more than 3.0 kW/ha in 30.0, 27.5, 10.0, 17.5, 7.5 and 7.5 per cent of the selected villages, respectively as such 67.5 per cent of selected villages have a unit farm power less than the National average. Forty five per cent villages have sufficient draught animals. The study indicated a dire need of increasing the unit farm power availability, particularly in hill area for ensuring the timeliness, effectiveness and quality of operation to increase the productivity of land and to increase area under cultivation.