PUNJAB FARMERS TO GET OVER 22K CRM MACHINES TO MANAGE PADDY STRAW

* Release subsidy to beneficiary farmers by August end, Gurmeet Singh Khudian asks Agri officials

* Agriculture Minister appreciates farmers response to DSR as state witnesses 28 per cent surge in area under water conserving technique

Chandigarh, July 11:

Punjab Government led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann will provide over 22,000 Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines on subsidy to manage the paddy straw scientifically in the state, informed Punjab Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian.

The Agriculture Minister, while chairing a meeting held to review the status of schemes and projects undertaken by the department, asked the officials to ensure that the draw of lots for the subsidized CRM machines should be held within this month and subsidy must be released to the beneficiary farmers by the end of August, 2024 before the starting of paddy harvesting so that the ambitious plan to reduce the farm fires to zero, could be accomplished successfully.

“CM Bhagwant Mann led state government laid out an action plan of Rs.500 crore for making available CRM machinery to farmers on subsidy during the paddy harvest season 2024-25. Individual farmers can avail 50 per cent subsidy on the cost of CRM equipment, while, 80 per cent subsidy is for cooperative societies, FPOs and panchayats”, he added.

Appreciating the state farmers for giving positive response to the Direct Sowing of Rice (DSR), S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian informed that the state has witnessed 28 per cent surge in the area under this water conserving technique in comparison to last year. As many as 2.20 lakh acres have already been sown directly, which was total 1.72 lakh acres in 2023. He directed the department officials to pull all the stops to accomplish the target of sowing 5 lakh acres by adopting DSR during this season. Punjab Government has also been providing Rs.1500 financial assistance per acre to encourage the farmers opting DSR, he stated.

He also reviewed the status of maize kharif sowing, for which the state is providing Rs. 100 as a subsidy on purchase of every 1-kg of hybrid maize seeds. Director Agriculture Jaswant Singh apprised the cabinet minister that the kharif maize has already been sown in 1-lakh acres so far, while assuring that the target of bringing two lakh acres under the kharif maize will be accomplished.

Asking the department officials to continue the onslaught against the sale of spurious/substandard agriculture inputs, the Agriculture Minister made it clear that nobody will be spared who found indulged in this malpractice as CM Mann led Punjab Government is fully committed to ensure quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides to the state farmers.

Joint Director Engineering Jagdish Singh, Joint Director Plant Protection Narinder Singh Benipal, Joint Director Statistics Harpreet Kaur, Joint Director Extension & Training Dilbagh Singh, Joint Director Inputs Gurjit Brar and other senior officials of the department were also present in the meeting.