This was disclosed here today by Prem Kumar Khosla, vice-chancellor of HPAU while inaugurating a coordination committee meeting of All India Coordinated Research Project on Power Tillers. Stressing the need for mechanisation to increase the agricultural production through second green revolution, Khosla pointed out that major constraint in this regard was the small and marginal farmers who dominated the peasantry of HP. Majority of them could not afford tractors, he said.

The Vice Chancellor said hill farmers could also introduce power tillers, which were becoming popular after evolution of low cost and light weight machines.

Khosla asked the agriculture engineers to give priority to demonstrating the developed agricultural equipment to the farmers, besides upgrading the available technology according to the local needs.

He also suggested exploration of the possibilities of using power tillers in orchard management operations like digging, fertiliser management and plant protection.

Earlier, N.S.L. Srivastava, Additional Director General (Engg) highlighted the importance of mechanisation in reducing cost of operation and drudgery for proper use of inputs.