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The main source of energy used for ploughing purposes by farmer households in the country is either diesel tractors or animals. This is revealed in the 59th Round of National Sample Survey on Aspects of Farming conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, during the period January-December 2003. The just released Report said that while 52 per cent continued with the use of animals for ploughing, 47 per cent used diesel tractors. It also revealed that the proportions did not change much, with increase in size of land holding by the farmer households. However in the highest bracket of farmers having 10 hectares and above, there is a marked increase in the use of tractors, with 70 per cent using diesel. About one to two per cent households in this bracket used electricity for ploughing.
Among the States, the major ones exhibited a great deal of variation with not only the economically backward belt comprising Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh, even the more developed states like Karnataka and Maharashtra depended heavily on animal power for ploughing.
Punjab topped the list with 96 per cent of farmers ploughing land using diesel tractors and hardly 3 per cent using animals for the same purpose. Haryana followed with 89 per cent using diesel, 11 per cent animals. Uttarpradesh followed Haryana with 81 per cent diesel and 18 per cent animals, Kerala 72 per cent diesel and 27 animals, Tamilnadu 68/30, West Bengal 53/47 and so on.
The developed States like Karnataka and Maharashtra revealed a different picture with Karnataka 14 per cent farmer households using diesel while 85 per cent animals and Maharashtra 21 per cent diesel and 78 per cent animals. Jharkhand figures at the bottom of the list with, 2 per cent diesel and 98 per cent using animals for ploughing. The only other State where the use of diesel is less than 10 per cent, happens to be Assam with 3 per cent diesel and 97 per cent animals.
State-wise detail ;
State
Diesel
Animal
State
Diesel
Animal
Andhra Pradesh
38
61
Kerala
72
27
Assam
3
97
Madhya Pradesh
34
65
Bihar
64
35
Maharashtra
21
78
Chhattisgarh
10
90
Orissa
12
88
Gujarat
52
47
Punjab
96
3
Haryana
89
11
Rajasthan
70
29
Jammu& Kashmir
37
62
Tamil Nadu
68
30
Jharkhand
2
98
Uttar Pradesh
81
18
Karnataka
14
85
West Bengal
53
47
All India
47
52
VKS/SR
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