Nagpur: In order to make modern but costly farming equipment available even to marginal farmers, Union minister and chief patron of Agro-Vision Nitin Gadkari mooted 'equipment bank' idea on Monday.

Explaining the concept, Gadkari said 'equipment banks' would be set up with funding from agencies like NABARD for procuring tractors, harvesters etc. Marginal farmers then can use these equipment, which otherwise remain out of their reach.

Gadkari also floated 'smart village' idea at the concluding ceremony of Agro-Vision. "Farmers trained at Agro-Vision can become trainers and guide farmers in villages to turn around the farming scenario," he said.

Gadkari said efforts were on to tie up with automobile major TVS Motor Ltd to manufacture bikes that would run on ethanol resulting in pollution-free and cheaper transport. Gadkari also set a target of planting 10 crore trees on the banks of Ganga for a greener environment.

Madhya Pradesh agriculture minister Gauri Shankar Bisen said his home state has successfully run a scheme in which farmers' losses due to low market prices were compensated by paying the difference between the MSP and the market price.

Haryana agriculture minister Om Prakash Dhankar, Union minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Ahir, the Agro-Vision organizing secretary Ravi Boratkar also spoke on the occasion.