PADDY SOWING IN SEVEN DISTRICTS TO START FROM JUNE 16

REGULAR POWER TO FARMERS DURING ENSUING PADDY SEASON: ASSERTS CM

SOWING SEASON DISTRIBUTED IN FOUR PHASES ACROSS THE STATE

LIKE PREVIOUS YEAR, FARMERS TO GET UNINTERRUPTED POWER FOR 8 HOURS DURING PADDY SEASON

Chandigarh, June 15-

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is fully prepared for providing uninterrupted power to the farmers for ensuring smooth and hassle free sowing of paddy crop across the state.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, the Chief Minister said that like previous year, the state government has decided to commence the sowing of paddy across the state in a phased manner. He said that the paddy sowing has commenced from June 10 in some

parts of state whereas remaining parts will be cover on June 16, 19 and 21. Bhagwant Mann said that the state has been divided in four zones to implement this sowing mechanism in an effective manner.

The Chief Minister said that in the first phase transplantation in the areas beyond the fence across international border started from June 10. He said that from tomorrow viz June 16 uninterrupted power will be ensured in the second phase to seven districts viz. Ferozepur, Faridkot, Pathankot, Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, SBS Nagar and Tarn Taran. Bhagwant Mann said that in third phase paddy transplantation will be ensured from June 19 in seven districts including Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Fazilka, Bathinda and Amritsar whereas in remaining nine districts of Patiala, Jalandhar, Moga, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Barnala and Mansa paddy transplantation will commence from June 21.

Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to ensure uninterrupted power to the farmers during the paddy season, the Chief Minister said that a minimum eight hours of regular power supply will be ensured by all means. He said that elaborate arrangements have been made in this regard and no stone will be left unturned for this noble cause. Bhagwant Mann said that like previous year the farmers will get regular supply of water during the paddy season adding that the state government is having surplus coal stock with it to supply power to farmers.