This time, farmers of Ludhiana district are showing great enthusiasm for the proper use of water in agriculture.
This was said by Chief Agriculture Officer Ludhiana Dr. Gurdeep Singh while getting the sowing done in the field of farmer Ramandeep Singh at village Hans Kalan block Jagraon. Farmer Ramandeep Singh has been sowing paddy using this technique for the last 5 years and due to good results, this year direct sowing of paddy is being done in about 22 acres. He further said that the Punjab government is promoting direct seeding of rice, which is also known as direct sowing of paddy, through the Agriculture Department, which is getting good response from the farmers. The farmers who are sowing by adopting this technique or are preparing to adopt it, are being provided all kinds of help by the Agriculture Department. As per the instructions of the government, direct sowing of paddy by farmers has started from May 15. With this technology, farmers are trying to save groundwater and control the rate of its further decline. Farmers who will direct sow paddy by adopting this method will also be given an incentive of Rs. 1500 per acre by the government.
Dr. Gurdeep Singh said that farmers who sow with this technology can also get more time to manage the paddy stubble after harvesting, which will help in further reducing the incidents of stubble burning in the district, which will avoid environmental degradation. The Agriculture Department is running a large-scale awareness campaign to make farmers aware of the direct sowing technique, under which farmer training camps are being organized in every village. Officers/employees of the block offices of the department are reaching the fields of farmers and getting sowing done with this technique in their presence.
On this occasion, Manjit Singh ADO (Plant Protection) District Ludhiana said that to get Rs. 1500 per acre, farmers who do direct sowing of paddy must register themselves on the portal of the Agriculture Department agrimachinerypb.com, in which they must mention the area sown with this technology and their bank account details. Apart from this, the department is also providing the DSR drill required for direct sowing of paddy at a subsidy of 40 to 50 percent, for which applications have been received from the farmers through online medium. Chief Agriculture Officer Dr. Gurdeep Singh appealed to the farmers to take maximum benefit of these schemes of the Agriculture Department. He asked such farmers to contact the nearest office of the Agriculture Department for any problem.
