A study was conducted in Balod District of Chhattisgarh Plains in Chhattisgarh state to assess the level of draft animal power utilization, tractor utilization, power availability and women’s power contribution in agricultural and allied activities. By personal interview using a structured questionnaire 30 respondents selected in each of the village. In Gunderdehi Block Arjunda and Lohara village whereas in Gurur Block Latabod and Sikosa village was selected. The level of farm mechanization in the Balod has progressive stage. The draught power utilization was on higher side in the month of May, June, July and August due to time of tillage and intercultural operation for paddy crop. The He-buffaloes power category the highest utilization per pair was recorded 342.5 h in village Lohara and lowest 211.5 h in village Sikosa, rest of village Latabod and Arjunda 301.6 h and 224.6 h respectively. The highest utilization of He-buffaloes power use/ha was noted in village Lohara and it was 118.55 h/ha and lowest was 50.26 h/ha in village Sikosa. The average annual use of the tractors was 382 h only in the district out of which for 59.16% of the time, the tractors were used for custom work and that of 40.85% of the time, for own work. Average farm power availability in Balod district and selected villages is 1.093 kW/ha and 1.62 kW/ha respectively. Mean time spent by the women respondents was 8.63 h/day in domestic including cattle rearing, agriculture and other activity. The village-wise variation in total time spent by the respondents was from 6.43 h to 10.49 h (minimum in Sikosa village and maximum in Latabod village). During peak seasons, the time spent by the respondents in agriculture varied from 6.5 h/day to 8.5 h/day in different blocks of the district of Durg Balod. the involvement of respondent were 42.83% in FYM application, 33.73% in preparatory work for seed-bed preparation, 53.53% in nursery preparation, 66.38% in sowing, 66.92% in intercultural operations, 46.84% in fertilizer application, 68.26% in harvesting, 51.79% in threshing, 52.20% in winnowing and 54.87% in post harvest operation. Out of this study it can be said that for appropriate mechanization different manual, animal, tractor and self propelled equipments/machines need to be introduced in the area either on custom hire basis or own basis along with facilities of minor repairing, which will enable the farmers for selective mechanization in reference to particular cropping system.

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