New Delhi, June 1 -- The government has earmarked Rs.8,550 crore in financial assistance this fiscal to help 150,000 small and marginal farmers access farm equipment, as it seeks to boost agricultural mechanisation and curb stubble burning through improved crop residue management. Under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM), including its crop residue management (CRM) component, the government will also support the establishment of 5,000 custom hiring centres and hi-tech hubs, two government officials aware of the matter said, citing the targets set by the finance ministry's department of expenditure for the agriculture ministry. Custom hiring centres and hi-tech hubs are facilities where farmers can rent machinery at affordable rates instead of purchasing costly equipment outright. The targets form part of the Centre's broader strategy to reduce stubble-burning incidents in key agricultural states by promoting mechanised residue management and improving access to farm machinery. "The department of expenditure has linked the scheme's performance to measurable outcomes, including wider adoption of mechanised farming practices and a reduction in stubble-burning incidents," said the first of the two officials cited earlier, both of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity. The scheme is particularly aimed at small and marginal farmers who often find it difficult to invest in expensive equipment such as happy seeders, super seeders, balers and mulchers. The expenses will be met through the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), for which the government has earmarked an outlay of Rs.8,550 crore for FY27, higher than the revised estimate of Rs.7,000 crore for FY26. Queries sent on Friday to the secretaries of the department of expenditure and the department of agriculture, as well as to the spokespersons of the finance and agriculture ministries remained unanswered. India has around 146.45 million operational agricultural holdings, according to the Agriculture Census 2015-16. Of these, nearly 126 million, or about 86% of the total, belong to small and marginal farmers with landholdings below two hectares. India has around 141 million hectares of net sown area and nearly 180 million hectares of agricultural land, making it one of the world's largest farming economies....