Krishi Yantrikaran Yojana (Bihar)
40-80% subsidy on 91 farm machines, rate set by farmer category, plus up to 80% for shared Custom Hiring Centres and Farm Machinery Banks.
Run by: Department of Agriculture, Government of Bihar — Agricultural Mechanization Directorate, OFMAS portal
- General category
- 40-50% subsidy
- SC/ST category
- 60-80% subsidy
- Custom Hiring Centre
- 40%, up to ₹4 lakh
- Farm Machinery Bank
- 80%, up to ₹8 lakh
- Machines covered
- 86-91 implement types
- Drone CHC subsidy
- Up to ₹5 lakh
- FY2026-27 budget
- ₹236.58 crore
Overview
Bihar's Krishi Yantrikaran Yojana is the state's annual farm-mechanisation subsidy programme, run by the Department of Agriculture through the OFMAS portal (farmech.bihar.gov.in). Each year it opens applications on a list of 91 implements — from power tillers and rotavators to paddy transplanters and super seeders — with the subsidy rate set by farmer category rather than a flat percentage for everyone.
General-category farmers get 40-50% of the machine cost as subsidy; Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe farmers get a higher 60-80% tier. Beyond individual purchases, the scheme also funds shared infrastructure: a Custom Hiring Centre — a rental fleet of machines for farmers who own none — gets 40% subsidy up to ₹4 lakh, and a Farm Machinery Bank, a larger cluster of machines run as one facility, gets 80% up to ₹8 lakh. Select blocks also get Special Custom Hiring Centres, with tractors at 40% and other machines at 80%, up to a combined ₹12 lakh.
The scheme runs on a fixed yearly registration window rather than staying open all year, and every purchase has to be made from a manufacturer or dealer already listed on OFMAS — buying elsewhere forfeits the subsidy, which is what keeps equipment quality and billing verifiable before the state pays out. When applications exceed the sanctioned quota for a machine, farmers are selected by an online lottery on OFMAS that stays valid for 15 days — only after "winning" that lottery does a farmer buy the machine and claim the subsidy by DBT.
For FY2026-27, the state approved ₹236.58 crore for the scheme (run centrally as the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization, or SMAM), covering 86 implement types that year — the exact machine count is re-notified each year, so treat 86-91 as the recent range rather than a fixed figure. That round also added a dedicated drone component: Farmer Drone Custom Hiring Centres get subsidy up to ₹5 lakh, with a target of 480 such centres statewide, alongside the older Custom Hiring Centre, Farm Machinery Bank and Special Custom Hiring Centre categories.
What you get
The benefit as the state notifies it — nothing here is an estimate.
- 40-80% subsidy on 91 kinds of farm machinery and implements, the rate rising with farmer category.
- Custom Hiring Centres get 40% subsidy up to ₹4 lakh, so a group can rent out machines to farmers who own none.
- Farm Machinery Banks get 80% subsidy up to ₹8 lakh for a larger cluster of machines run as one shared facility.
- Special Custom Hiring Centres in select blocks get 40% on tractors and 80% on other machines, up to a combined ₹12 lakh.
- Machines must be bought from OFMAS-listed manufacturers or dealers only, which keeps quality and pricing checked before the subsidy is released.
- Farmer Drone Custom Hiring Centres get subsidy up to ₹5 lakh, part of a statewide push toward 480 such centres, for anyone wanting to offer drone spraying as a paid service to nearby farmers.
Who is eligible
State schemes usually state their criteria as prose rather than a checklist. This is that prose, unpacked — the department’s verification is what decides.
You qualify if
- Farmer registered on the DBT Agriculture Bihar portal with a valid registration number
- Applies through OFMAS (farmech.bihar.gov.in) within the notified window for the scheme year
- Individual and progressive farmers for machine purchase; registered groups — SHGs, FPOs, Farmer Interest Groups, Farmer Clubs — for Custom Hiring Centre / Farm Machinery Bank components
- Machine purchased from a manufacturer or dealer listed on the OFMAS portal
Not covered
- Machinery bought outside the OFMAS-listed dealer network
- Applications submitted after the registration window closes for the year
- A farmer who has already availed subsidy on the same machine category within the mandated gap period
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — most rejections are a missing paper, not a missing right.
- DBT Agriculture Bihar registration number
- Aadhaar card
- Bank passbook or account details for subsidy transfer
- Caste certificate (for the SC/ST subsidy tier)
- Land documents or group registration certificate (for Custom Hiring Centre / Farm Machinery Bank applicants)
How to apply
Fewer steps than a central scheme, and usually one office rather than a portal.
- 1
Register on the DBT Agriculture portal
Create or confirm your farmer registration on dbtagriculture.bihar.gov.in — this registration number is required before OFMAS will accept an application.
- 2
Apply on OFMAS for the machine you need
Log in to farmech.bihar.gov.in (OFMAS), pick a machine from the 91 listed implements or the Custom Hiring Centre / Farm Machinery Bank component, and submit during the open application window.
- 3
Buy from a listed dealer, then claim subsidy
Purchase the machine from an OFMAS-listed manufacturer or dealer; the subsidy amount is transferred to the registered bank account after verification.
If something goes wrong
Missing from the list, or payment stuck — here is the channel the department itself publishes for it.
- For a lottery dispute, a rejected application, or a delayed subsidy transfer, first contact your block or district agriculture office, or raise it through the OFMAS portal's own grievance option at farmech.bihar.gov.in.
- If unresolved, escalate through Bihar Lok Shikayat, the state's public grievance redressal system — file online at lokshikayat.bihar.gov.in or call the toll-free 1800-345-6284. Complaints must legally be resolved within 60 working days, with a two-level appeal if not.
Frequently asked questions
How much subsidy will I get as an individual farmer?
It depends on your category and the machine — general-category farmers typically get 40-50%, SC/ST farmers 60-80%, on any of the OFMAS-listed implements (around 86-91, re-notified each year) bought from a listed dealer.
What is a Custom Hiring Centre, and can I set one up?
It's a shared fleet of machines that a group rents out to farmers who don't own equipment. Bihar pays 40% subsidy up to ₹4 lakh to set one up — apply through OFMAS as a registered group.
Can I buy any brand of machine and still get the subsidy?
No — subsidy is paid only on machines bought from a manufacturer or dealer listed on the OFMAS portal, so check the listed-dealer list before you purchase.
I applied — does that mean I automatically get the subsidy?
Not necessarily. When applications for a machine exceed the sanctioned quota, OFMAS runs an online lottery, valid for 15 days, to select who can proceed. Only farmers selected in the lottery buy the machine and claim the subsidy.
Does this scheme cover drones now?
Yes — Farmer Drone Custom Hiring Centres get subsidy up to ₹5 lakh, part of a statewide plan for 480 such centres, so someone can set up a drone-spraying service rather than only buying a drone for their own field.
What is the scheme's budget, and does it change every year?
Yes, it is re-approved and re-notified each financial year, along with the exact list and count of covered implements. For FY2026-27 the state approved ₹236.58 crore for the scheme, run centrally under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM).
Facts checked against farmech.bihar.gov.in on 8 September 2026. editorial policy.