One needs minor repair

Of the 10 power tillers the government distributed to the five gewogs in Trongsa, five are today defunct, local leaders said during the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu (DT).

DT members said the power tillers distributed to the gewogs were not the Kubota brand that is made in Japan but Yanmar, which is made in Vietnam.

Members said that while Kubota power tillers do not break down easily, the Yanmar power tillers do.

Some local leaders said the power tillers allotted to their gewogs broke down after they used it for just eight days.

Tangsibji gup, Gembo Dorji said both the power tillers of his gewog are defunct today since they could not get spare parts.

He said the income generated from these power tillers had to be provided to the then Agriculture Machinery Unit (AMC), which is now called the Farm Machinery Corporation Ltd (FMCL), leaving no funds for repair.

The DT chairperson, Nubi Gup Ugen Tenzin, also said both the power tillers of his gewog are also defunct because of lack of spare parts. “The power tillers were lying defunct even before I was elected,” he said.

He added that he approached the gewog agriculture extension officers to repair the power tiller but they could not do anything.

“The agriculture extension officer said the spare parts were not available.”

Drakteng Gup Kinzang Dorji said one power tiller in his gewog needs minor repair. “The other one is functioning,” he said.

Langthel Gup Sonam Dorji also said one of the gewog’s power tillers are defunct.

However, the power tillers of Korphu gewog are functioning as of now.

The dzongkhag agriculture officer, Karma Chewang, presenting the report on the power tillers during the DT said the spare parts needed are unavailable.

He also said some power tillers have earned income but the expenditure exceeds income.

He said Drakteng gewog’s power tillers were used for 41 days so far earning Nu 58,100. “After deducting the fuel cost and the operator’s salary, the gewog deposited Nu 20,458 to the AMC.”

He said Korphu gewog’s power tillers earned Nu 27,800 after working for 27 days but its expenditure exceeded income by Nu 1,710.

The agriculture officer said Tangsibji gewog’s power tillers were used for 40 days before they went defunct.

He said Nubi gewog’s one power tiller each were distributed to upper and lower Nubi. Lower Nubi’s power tiller was used for 11 days after which it went defunct. Upper Nubi’s power tiller went defunct in just eight days.

Karma Chewang said AMC was supposed to repair the power tillers but they could not since the spare parts were unavailable.

He, however, said FMCL will soon repair the power tillers and hire them out. “Power tillers have not missed any work opportunities since most of them went defunct towards the winter,” he said. “The dzongkhag also hired eight power tillers from AMC.”

The agriculture officer said local leaders who wanted spare parts failed to ask AMC using the proper channel.

Meanwhile, gewogs in Trongsa received the power tillers at the end of October 2015.

Nima Wangdi | Trongsa