The Mukhyamantri Harit Krishi Sanyantra Yojana is a Bihar state government scheme, approved by the Bihar Cabinet Committee on 24 August 2018 under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. It was launched to solve a problem faced by a large share of the state's farmers: most cannot afford to buy tractors, harvesters, and other farm machinery outright, and were often forced to rent equipment from other farmers at high, unregulated rates. Under this scheme, the state government set up Agricultural Machinery Banks — locally known as Krishi Sanyantra Banks — at the Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) level across Bihar, so farmers can rent machinery directly from these village-level cooperative banks at nominal, government-fixed rates.
Mukhyamantri Harit Krishi Sanyantra Yojana Overview
- Scheme Name – Mukhyamantri Harit Krishi Sanyantra Yojana (Chief Minister's Green Agricultural Equipment Scheme)
- Scheme Modification Date – Approved by Bihar Cabinet Committee, 24 August 2018; Krishi Sanyantra Banks set up at PACS level starting FY 2020
- Scheme Fund Allocated – ₹1,692.60 crore sanctioned by the Bihar state government; each Krishi Sanyantra Bank is set up with an estimated investment of ₹20 lakh, funded as 50% loan and 50% grant to the concerned PACS
- Type of Scheme – State Government scheme (Bihar), supervised and implemented by the Department of Agriculture, Government of Bihar
- Helpline No – Kisan Call Centre, 1800-180-1551; farmers can also contact their nearest PACS office or the Bihar Department of Agriculture
- States Covered – Bihar only (state-specific scheme, not applicable in other states)
Objectives of the Scheme
- Make a variety of agricultural equipment, farm machinery, and implements available to small and marginal farmers under the priority sector of agriculture
- Offset the high cost burden of individual machinery ownership for farmers with limited land or resources
- Improve mechanisation in areas where farm equipment availability has historically been limited
- Reduce farmers' dependence on renting machinery from other farmers at high, unregulated rates
- Expand mechanised farming activities during cropping seasons, particularly for small and marginal landholdings
Key Features of the Scheme
- Krishi Sanyantra Banks (Agricultural Machinery Banks) are established at the PACS level across Bihar, each with an estimated cost of ₹20 lakh
- Funding for each Krishi Sanyantra Bank is structured as 50% loan and 50% grant to the PACS from the state government
- Farmers can rent tractors, harvesters, irrigation equipment, and other farm machinery directly from these PACS-level banks at nominal, fixed rental rates rather than market rates
- No application fee or additional rental charge burden is placed on the farmer beyond the notified nominal rent
- Both individual farmers and joint/group farmer applicants can access machinery under the scheme
- The scheme is fully overseen by the Department of Agriculture, Government of Bihar
- Application status and scheme updates can be checked through the Bihar Department of Agriculture's DBT portal (dbtagriculture.bihar.gov.in)
Benefits to Farmers
- Access to modern farm machinery without the burden of owning it outright
- Machinery available at nominal, government-regulated rent, far lower than typical open-market rental rates
- Increased farm output and reduced manual labour dependency through mechanised operations
- No separate application fee charged to the farmer for accessing this benefit
- Particular support for small and marginal farmers who previously had no affordable way to mechanise their operations
- Convenient, local access through PACS offices already present in most villages, rather than needing to travel to a district centre
Eligibility for the Scheme
- The applicant must be a permanent resident of Bihar
- Eligible applicants include individual farmers, or joint/group farmer-cultivators engaged in agriculture and related farm activities
- The applicant must be an owner-cultivator; for joint or group applications, at least one member must be an owner farmer
- The applicant must not be a loan defaulter with any bank
Limitations of the Scheme
- The scheme is applicable only in Bihar and cannot be accessed by farmers in other states
- Machinery availability depends on what a particular Krishi Sanyantra Bank/PACS in the farmer's area currently stocks, which can vary from one PACS to another
- The application process has historically been offline, requiring visits to the local Gram Panchayat, Tehsil, or PACS office, though the government has indicated moving toward an online process
- Rental rates and equipment lists can vary by PACS, so farmers should confirm current rates locally rather than assuming a fixed nationwide figure
- Joint or group applicants must ensure at least one member qualifies as an owner farmer, which can be a hurdle for groups of purely tenant cultivators
Documents Required
- Identity Proof – PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, Driving Licence, or Voter ID Card
- Address Proof – Aadhaar Card, valid passport, utility bill, or property tax bill
- Land ownership or cultivation proof
- Bank account details (or bank-specific documents, as required for verifying non-defaulter status)
- Any additional document requested by the bank or PACS during verification
How to Apply for Mukhyamantri Harit Krishi Sanyantra Yojana
- Visit your nearest Gram Panchayat, Tehsil office, or PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Society) to enquire about the scheme and current machinery availability.
- Confirm your eligibility as a permanent resident of Bihar and an owner-cultivator (or as part of a joint/group application with an owner farmer among the members).
- Submit your identity proof, address proof, and any land or bank documents requested by the PACS.
- Check for updates or application status through the Bihar Department of Agriculture's DBT portal at dbtagriculture.bihar.gov.in, under the Mukhyamantri Harit Krishi Sanyantra Yojana section.
- Once verified, you can rent the required farm machinery from the local Krishi Sanyantra Bank at the notified nominal rent.
- Confirm the exact rental rates for the machinery you need directly with your nearest Krishi Sanyantra Bank or PACS office, since rates can vary by location and equipment type.
Conclusion
Mukhyamantri Harit Krishi Sanyantra Yojana gives Bihar's small and marginal farmers a genuinely practical way to mechanise their farming without the burden of owning expensive equipment outright. By setting up machinery banks at the PACS level with substantial state backing — over ₹1,692 crore committed to the scheme — the government has brought tractors, harvesters, and irrigation equipment within easy, affordable reach at the village level. Farmers in Bihar looking to reduce their dependence on costly private machinery rentals should check with their local PACS office to see what equipment and rates are currently available.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Scheme details, interest rates, and subvention amounts are subject to periodic revision by the Government of India, RBI, and NABARD. Farmers are advised to verify the latest terms and eligibility criteria with their bank, NABARD, or official government sources before applying.
