DECEMBER, 20258TOP STORIESTOP STORIESESCORTS KUBOTA ROLLS OUT ADVANCED RIDE-ON RICE TRANSPLANTERSIRB INFRA PROPOSES TRANSFER OF 1,702 CR HAM PROJECTEscorts Kubota's latest move strengthens the fast-growing market for mechanized paddy cultivation in India. The company has launched its third-generation Ride-On Rice Transplanters ­ KA6 and KA8 ­ under the Kubota brand, targeting higher productivity, precision planting and farmer comfort in key rice-growing states.Engineered in Japan, the new models are designed for Indian field realities, where labor shortages, rising input costs and the need for timely transplanting are pushing rapid adoption of rice transplanters. The KA6 and KA8 have already been launched in Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Telangana, where there is a high demand for advanced paddy mechanization solutions.The KA6 and KA8 transplanters utilize Kubota fuel efficient engines with outputs of 21 and 24 horsepower, which makes them reliable even when working in the harshest field environ-ment. The features of both models include the smart turning system to ensure the car is easier to handle and the automatic lifting feature to allow the car to turn corners more easily. The Multifunction control lever allows effortless operation, while the horizontal control mechanism helps maintain uniform planting depth.The redesigned planting claws significantly reduce missed planting, ensure seedlings are placed evenly, and the improved New Seedling picking guide allows for high accuracy, and planting will improve the crop growth and yield consistency.To support long working hours during peak paddy season, operator comfort has also been prioritized. A wider platform, ergonomic control layout and LED lights make operation more convenient and less tiring, even after sunset. The lighter planting section and longer wheelbase enhance stability and balance, helping the machine cross big ridges and perform reliably in National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Package-VII of the Bharatmala Pariyojana."This action is consistent with our Bid­Execute­Stabilize­Transfer (BEST) strategy to release capital and promote growth." "Presenting our second HAM asset on this expressway to the public InvIT ensures long-term cash flow visibility for the InvIT while freeing up resources to bolster IRB's future expansion," stated Virendra Mhaiskar, the company's chairperson and managing director, noting that the deal may be finalized by this calendar year.The Gandeva Ena HAM Project has recently obtained a provisional completion certificate and serves as a revenue-generating operational asset currently included in the company's portfolio. VM7 Expressway Private Limited, a fully-owned subsidiary of IRB Infra, is executing the project under a concession granted by the NHAI.Recently, the IRB Infrastructure Trust, a private InvIT backed by IRB Infra, obtained the Letter of Award (LoA) from NHAI for the toll-operate-transfer-17 (TOT-17) package worth 9,270 crore.IRB possesses an asset portfolio exceeding 80,000 crore through the parent firm and two InvITs, not counting TOT-17. With the inclusion of the TOT-17 project in IRB Group's project portfolio (comprising both private and public InvIT), the total will reach 27 highway projects, consisting of 18 build-operate-transfer (BOT), 5 TOT, and 4 HAM projects. IRB Infrastructure Developers (IRB Infra) has presented its Gandeva Ena hybrid annuity model (HAM) project valued at 1,702 crore to the IRB InvIT Fund, its public infrastructure investment trust (InvIT).The board of directors of the company, during its meeting today (Thursday), authorized the initial non-binding proposal for the transfer of the project.The 27.5-kilometre segment is a component of the upcoming Delhi­Mumbai Greenfield Expressway Project. The project encompasses the eight-laning development of the Gandeva Ena segment in Gujarat as part of the
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