Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), in partnership with ICAR-Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (ICAR-CIWA), Bhubaneswar, has launched five Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) across Punjab. The establishment of these hiring centres aims to strengthen rural livelihoods and empower women farmers through improved access to modern agricultural tools. The centres, introduced under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Women in Agriculture (AICRP-WIA), are located in Boparai Kalan, Akalgarh, Halwara, Purain, and Kullewal.
ICAR-CIWA, PAU’s AICRP-WIA Centre, and five Aajivika Self Help Groups signed a Memorandum of Agreement to oversee the equipment’s management and use. The centres provide flour mills, solar dryers, maize shellers, sewing machines, mini dal mills, self propelled paddy weeders, polythene sealing machines, automatic maize shellers and, motor operated water pumps, resources that were previously out of reach for many women farmers.
Women Empowerment in Focus
The inauguration was led by Dr Mridula Devi, Director, ICAR-CIWA, who emphasised the significance of CHCs in developing technical skills and fostering self reliance among rural women. Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, praised PAU’s team efforts, noting that the initiative exemplifies their commitment to linking scientific research with grassroots solutions. Dr. Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research at PAU, lauded the project’s role in advancing rural development, while Dr. Deepika Vig, Coordinator of Research at the College of Community Science, highlighted the CHCs’ impact in empowering women and building community cohesion.
Also Read: INTERVIEW | ‘One Drone, One Village’: Dr Preet Sandhu on AVPL’s Vision for Rural India
The project was driven by the coordinated efforts of Dr Ritu Mittal, Dr Renuka Aggarwal, Dr Shivani Rana, Dr Prerna Kapila, and Dr. Prachi Bisht. Local sarpanches, panchayat members, and women farmers expressed their gratitude to PAU for selecting their villages, noting the potential of the CHCs to enhance livelihoods and build practical skills in their communities.
CHCs Driving Rural Empowerment
Custom Hiring Centres are configured to deliver rural communities and farmers with affordable access to expensive agricultural machinery and equipment. They enable farmers, to access modern tools and machinery without heavy upfront costs. For women farmers, CHCs can help reduce labor intensity, boost efficiency, and allow them to devote more time in value added activities such as food grain processing. By providing access to range of tools for both farming and income opportunities, CHCs can prove to be instrumental in bridging the technology gap and unlocking new economic opportunities for rural women.
Earlier this year, Bihar’s Agriculture Minister, Vijay Kumar Sinha, announced the establishment of 267 new Custom Hiring Centres. The initiative was geared towards providing small and marginal farmers with affordable access to modern agricultural machinery. The government plans to cover all 8,093 panchayats with CHCs, of which 950 have been established so far. Each CHC costs up to INR 10 lakh, with subsidies available for equipment purchases, including up to INR 1.6 lakh for tractors and up to Rs 4 lakh for other machinery.
In Odisha, the ICAR-Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (CIWA) has set up 11 women-led Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan. These centres provide tools and machinery for village level rental, helping reduce labor, support processing, and promote other value added activities. By enabling equipment access, the CHCs empower women farmers and Farmers’ Interest Groups (FIGs) while generating income through rentals. In Keonjhar district, another CHC focuses on millet cultivation, providing modern agricultural machinery to improve efficiency, while driving women’s participation in farming.
Gujarat has also established community managed CHCs in tribal regions to promote grassroots level farm mechanization. These centres are operated by women Self Help Groups, enabling local leadership and income generation. Farmers gain affordable access to machinery while women manage operations, fostering empowerment and skill development.
Across states, CHCs have showcased potential to transform rural agriculture by providing affordable access to modern machinery, empowering women farmers, and fostering skills, entrepreneurship, and community resilience.