NEW DELHI, 23 September 2023: In a significant move aimed at promoting ease of doing business and fostering trust-based governance, the Government has streamlined the tractor testing process.
This development, effective as of August 28, 2023, is expected to simplify the evaluation of tractor performance, benefiting tractor manufacturers and ensuring the quality of agricultural equipment.
Under the revised guidelines, tractor manufacturers will now be eligible to participate in the subsidy scheme based on their Conformity of Production (COP) certificates and a self-declaration. In this self-declaration, the company must confirm that the tractor intended for inclusion in the subsidy program adheres to the benchmark specifications provided by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW). Simultaneously, manufacturers must also ensure that the tractor model has been submitted for testing, and the test report is submitted to DA&FW within 6 months. Manufacturers are also required to provide a minimum three-year warranty for tractors supplied under the subsidy scheme.
The simplified process primarily focuses on four mandatory tests:
1. Drawbar Performance Test: This test can be conducted at the Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute (CFMTTI) in Budni or at Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) in Chennai. Manufacturers are also granted the flexibility to conduct this test at other Government-authorized institutes or their own facilities, provided they have the necessary infrastructure. In cases where the manufacturer performs the test at their own facilities, the test data provided by the manufacturer will be included in the test reports released by CFMTTI Budni or the chosen government-authorized institution. These reports will contain remarks indicating that the tests were self-certified by the manufacturer.
2. PTO Performance and Hydraulic Performance Test: Manufacturers have the option to conduct this test at their facilities and share the test data with CFMTTI Budni or the chosen Government-authorized institution. The data should come with a self-certification stating that the test was conducted in accordance with applicable BIS Codes. Similar to the Drawbar Performance Test, test data provided by the manufacturers will be included in the test reports released by the chosen institution, with remarks indicating that the tests were self-certified by the manufacturer. Manufacturers may also choose to have this test conducted at CFMTTI Budni or other Government-authorized facilities with suitable infrastructure.
3. Brake Performance: This test is to be carried out in compliance with Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR). Tests already conducted under CMVR at authorized institutions will not need to be repeated at CFMTTI Budni or any other Government-authorized institute. The data from these tests will be incorporated into the test reports.
These simplified guidelines also outline the procedures for testing tractors at CFMTTI Budni, ensuring that the testing process remains efficient and transparent.
This initiative by the Government signifies its commitment to creating a more conducive environment for tractor manufacturers and promoting the ease of doing business in India's agricultural sector.
Image credit: tractornews.in
