Salem farmers receive ₹34.22 crore in subsidy through AED schemes

1,699 farmers in Salem district received ₹34.22 crore in subsidies through various Agricultural Engineering Department schemes in 4 years.

In the past four years, 1,699 farmers in Salem district have received ₹34.22 crore in subsidies through the Agricultural Engineering Department (AED) schemes.

Officials attached to AED said that in the past four years, 1,699 farmers received ₹34.22 crore in subsidies, including ₹7.04 crore to 344 farmers under the Kalaignar’s All Village Integrated Agriculture Development Project, ₹15.54 crore to 1,076 farmers under the subsidy scheme for the purchase of Agricultural Machinery and Implements, ₹4.34 crore to 60 farmers under the Agricultural Machinery Rental Centre scheme, ₹63.80 lakh to 27 farmers under the Solar Tent Dryer installation scheme, ₹2.59 crore to 135 farmers under the Chief Minister’s Scheme of Solar Powered Pumpsets, ₹2.96 lakh to three farmers under Solar Electric Fences Project and ₹60 lakh to three farmers under the E-Vaadagai Land Development scheme.

District Collector R. Brindha Devi said that the AED machinery, under the E-Vaadagai Land Development scheme, were provided for 8,65,501 hours (plowing and land reclamation works) at a subsidised cost to the farmers. Recently, an inspection was carried out in Nangavalli, where a farmer installed a solar tent dryer. Through this dryer, drying time, labour costs, and post-harvest losses were reduced. The quality of the produce is ensured by drying it naturally without changing its natural character in a hygienic manner and mold growth is avoided. To benefit under these schemes, the farmers shall approach the District Agricultural Engineering Department’s Executive Engineer’s Office or its other offices at the taluk level, Ms. Brindha Devi added.