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‘Cooperative’ solution to farmhand shortage

PALAKKAD: The Karma Sena project being successfully implemented by the Thirumittacode Service Cooperative Bank here is an answer to the acute shortage of farm hands in the agriculture sector and its much needed mechanisation.

There are not enough workers in Palakkad District to help with agriculture operations, especially during the paddy cultivation and harvesting seasons. The farmers incur huge losses because of this and so they demanded that the government turn to mechanisation of agriculture operations.

Panchayats had provided funds to the Padasekhara Samithy to purchase various agriculture implements like tractors, harvesters, weed cutters, sprayers etc. But the samithy had to fund 10 per cent of the total cost of the machines along with the expenses for its operation and maintenance. Thus, the scheme did not work and the agriculture implements bought under the project were either damaged or idling in some Padasekhara Samithy and Krishi Bhavan, farmers here said.

This is where the Thirumittacode Service Cooperative Bank in the district came to the assistance of the farmers by successfully implementing the ‘Karma Sena’ project that helped complete agriculture operations in time at lesser cost.

Bank secretary K. Janardanan told The Hindu that the bank bought the agriculture implements with 50 per cent funding from the grama panchayat. This Agri Service Centre helped the farmers get services at less than the market rate. The bank also made a profit of Rs.20,000 from it last year.

It rented tractors at Rs.315 an hour as against the market rate of Rs.380-400. It also provided services to the farmers for 777 hours in the last eight months. It aims at putting in 2,000 hours this year. This will help the farmers complete their farming operations in time and cut costs too.

The Karma Sena consists of 11 members who will undertake all agriculture operations and even transporting the crops after harvesting. These people have been trained to operate the machinery as well.

This scheme also fixed the wages depending on the output of the workers. The workers have to complete a fixed quantum of work within the stipulated time. So it is going to be productivity linked wage, the secretary said.

He said that this scheme is being implemented in 16 Grama Panchayats of the district this year.

Already eight Panchayats have decided to implement the scheme. It will be inaugurated by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on May 29.

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