Rural women are major stakeholders in growth of agricultural sector for the New India. Agriculture Mechanization is an essential input to modern agriculture to increase the productivity and for making judicious use of other inputs like seeds, fertilizers, chemicals & pesticides and natural resources like water, soil nutrients etc. besides reducing the human drudgery and cost of cultivation. Custom Hiring Centres make farm machinery and equipments available to women, small and marginal farmers in the production catchment.

To enhance the efficiency of field operations, women SHG-led Custom Hiring Centres (2 nos.) were launched by ICAR- Central Institute for women in Agriculture, Bhubaneswar under SCSP on 10th February 2023. Two Scheduled Caste women farmers' based SHG named Maa Mangla Sanchya Samit, Olikona, Nimapada and Subhashree Swayam Sahayak Gosti, Gualigorada, Satyabadi in Puri district of Odisha were the key stakeholders. The major tools and equipment given were seed treatment drum, drum seeder, cono weeder, paddy thresher cum winnower, ground nut decorticator and maize sheller. The programme was attended by a total of 150 farm women at two locations.

Dr. Mridula Devi, Director, ICAR-CIWA in the inaugural address stated that Custom Hiring Centres, will not only enhance the field skills but also will reduce the drudgery of farm women in seed treatment, sowing, weeding, harvesting and post-harvest operations of crops. She also highlighted the importance of millets in diets for nutrition and health, and advised them to prepare and sell millet based products in entrepreneurship mode. Dr. A.K. Panda, Principal Scientist and SCSP team leader enlightened the farm women for adopting different ICAR technologies for income generation and minimizing drudgery. Dr. Praveen Jakhar, Nodal Officer, ICAR-CIWA, Bhubaneswar highlighted different aspects of SCSP scheme and transfer of technologies through it. Er. P.K. Rout gave practical demonstration of different tools and implements to farm women.