Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM): expanding access to farm machinery via inclusive, targeted support and drone demonstrations
The Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization has expanded subsidies, custom hiring, and drone demonstrations to widen mechanisation access.
AI generatedThe Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) is a key instrument for widening access to farm machinery in India. The latest update shows that the scheme is being used not only to subsidise equipment, but also to expand custom hiring, support women and disadvantaged groups, and push drone-based precision agriculture.
For UPSC, the issue matters because mechanisation sits at the intersection of agricultural productivity, rural labour use, technology diffusion, and inclusive welfare delivery. It also illustrates how a Centrally Sponsored Scheme works through Centre-State cooperation.
What SMAM is
UPSC may ask how mechanisation can raise farm productivity while addressing small holdings, gender gaps, and regional disparities. The scheme also connects with subsidy design, Direct Benefit Transfer, custom hiring models, and the adoption of precision agriculture tools such as drones.
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