SMAM scheme: Equipment distribution on Saturday
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 10 2021:
Selected beneficiaries of the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) Scheme (second instalment-2020-21 FY) will be provided equipment and machinery on Saturday.
To distribute the equipment and machinery, the Nodal Officer SMAM of the Directorate of Agriculture has instructed 9 authorised dealers and firms to submit the list of beneficiaries who had bought equipment from them.
The firms include MS East India Machines Company Limited, MS Saikhom Tractors Sales and Services Centre, MS Waiagrim, Jamunalal Mangilal and Company, MS Nganbi Motors, MS MI Motors, EDC (Agri Division), MS Rabi Motors and MS HR Motor.
While the SMAM Scheme has a guideline that the beneficiaries should buy the machinery and equipment from authorised dealers only, the nine listed dealers include non-authorised firm(s), said sources.
For example, MS Waiagrim is a sub-dealer of the Guwahati based MS Prince Agro Machinery and is selling tractors in Manipur.
As a result of this, the firm has not been included in the Central DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) portal.
MS Prince Agro Machinery's regional manager (Sales) Munni Dutt told The Sangai Express that it may take sometime for the MS Waiagrim to be included in the central DBT Portal as it lacks some of the criteria.
On the other hand, the Transport Department has taken up steps to ensure sales of equipment and machinery by authorised dealers/firms only.
A March 4 order of the Department had instructed task forces headed by District Magistrates concerned to check sales of machinery by unauthorised dealers and firms.