Patiala, Dec. 8 -- More than half of the farmers in Punjab's agriculture hotbed Malwa region do not own any modern agricultural equipment, a research study by Punjabi University has found. The findings, released on Sunday, reveal that 53% farmers continue to depend on rented machinery or wage labour for cultivation. Only 24% farmers own a tractor as their sole modern implement, while a mere 18% possess both a tractor and a trolley. A negligible 5% own a combine harvester, shows the study. The doctoral study, conducted by Ravinder Kaur under the supervision of Surjit Singh, professor of department of Punjabi, concluded that the majority of the farmers in these areas fell under the small and medium landholding category, thereby, limiting their ability to purchase high-cost equipment. Singh said the study shed light on a crucial gap between perception and reality. He noted that while Punjabi farmers were often depicted as highly mechanised, the ground reality was different. The survey also concluded that 46.3% of rural households owned only a motorcycle, while 24.3% had one car. Nearly 68.5% per cent of respondents reported being unable to afford a car, underlining limited mobility despite the popular projection of vehicle-rich Punjabi families. Further, only 53.2% percent of respondents reported owning TV, refrigerator, inverter and washing machine, while even a smaller portion, 19.4%, possess advanced appliances such as air-conditioners, water purifiers, air fryers or microwaves. As for government employment, Jat Sikhs constitute 37.2% of the work force, while Scheduled Castes form 31.2%. In private sector jobs, Scheduled Castes lead at 54.2%, marking a significant change in rural socio-economic dynamics. Though Punjabi weddings are popularly believed to be synonymous with marriage palaces, the majority - 61.6% - preferred to hold ceremonies at home or in dharamshalas, while 38.4% respondents opted for marriages in banquet halls. Congratulating the researcher, vice-chancellor Jagdeep Singh stated that such studies were crucial for decoding on-ground socio-economic transitions....