By IANS,
Gandhinagar : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Friday inaugurated a first of its kind public-private partnership (PPP) with US farm equipment major John Deere, which could impact over 50,000 families over five years.
Signed under the aegis of the state’s Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojna (ten-point programme for tribal welfare), the agreement entails John Deere opening 84 agriculture implement resource centres across the state.
A total of 529 tractors, each with a set of 13 implements, a trained operator and maintenance staff would be deployed across these centres in two phases for the benefit of marginalised tribal farmers, who will only have to bear the operating and maintenance costs, an official said.
Speaking at the launch, Modi said that the PPP, first of its kind in the agriculture sector nationwide, is a shining example of how to help empower and provide economic wealth to marginalised farmers.
Samuel R. Allen, chairman and chief executive officer of John Deere, said that the company will train 1,000 local youth as tractor operators and another 500 as mechanics as an integral part of the programme.
Four local NGOs, Sadguru Foundation, ANaRDe Foundation, Shroffs Foundation and JNPCT, have been entrusted with the task of creating self-help groups that cover 100 acres of farm land each and in ensuring early adoption of this programme.