Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday introduced that paddy sowing within the state will start from June 1 in a phased method.
“We have now divided the state into three zones and the cultivation of paddy will begin within the district falling in three zones on June 1, June 5 and June 9,” mentioned Mann whereas addressing the gathering throughout ‘Sarkar Kisaan Milni’ right here.
Punjab is the meals bowl of the nation because it contributes 45 per cent of grains within the nationwide meals pool, he mentioned. Nevertheless, he lamented that in 70 days of the paddy season, Punjab pumps out an enormous amount of water. “By pumping out a lot water, we are going to deprive our coming generations from it which is the fundamental ingredient of our existence,” he mentioned. Mann mentioned 4,000 litres of water is required for producing one kg of paddy, and it’s posing a critical menace to the fundamental existence of our coming generations, attributable to which the state authorities is making concerted efforts to put it aside.
The cultivation of paddy within the state has elevated from 20 lakh hectares to 32 lakh hectares attributable to which the necessity for water to irrigate the fields has elevated, he identified.
As a result of strenuous efforts of the state authorities, the groundwater stage has began growing and as per a report of the Union authorities, it has witnessed an upward enhancement of 1 metre, he mentioned.
Mann mentioned the state authorities has determined to start out cultivation of paddy from June 1 for which the state has been divided into three zones. He mentioned that paddy cultivation in Faridkot, Bathinda, Fazilka, Ferozepur and Sri Muktsar Sahib districts will begin from June 1, including that in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Tarn, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Sri Fatehgarh Sahib and Hoshiarpur districts will begin on June 5. Within the remaining districts of Ludhiana, Moga, Jalandhar, Mansa, Malerkotla, Sangrur, Patiala, Barnala, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Kapurthala it’s going to begin on June 9, he mentioned.
The CM mentioned that it’ll assist in lowering the fast burden for the provision of energy in all of the districts of the state through the paddy season. He mentioned it’s going to keep away from problems to farmers in promoting their paddy harvest attributable to excessive moisture content material in October. This zone-wise cultivation of the paddy crop might be ensured within the state and essential planning and preparations are already being made by the Punjab authorities for this motive, he said. Mann mentioned the state authorities is considering banning the cultivation of water guzzling Pussa 44 number of paddy. He mentioned that the cultivation of this selection wants round 152 days and it requires 64 lakh litres of water per acre and prices Rs 7,500 per acre to the federal government for electrical energy.
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Likewise, farmers should bear expenditure price practically Rs 19,000 per acre for cultivation of this selection and it produces paddy straw 10 per cent greater than different varieties.
Mann mentioned the state authorities will guarantee a minimal of eight hours of standard energy provide to farmers through the paddy season. He mentioned within the areas the place canal water provide is offered, the electrical energy might be equipped through the night time time for eight hours.
Mann additional mentioned the earlier governments by no means bothered about making any effort to save lots of the groundwater and the farmers on the tail ends, on this land of 5 rivers, by no means acquired water. He additional mentioned after assuming cost, his authorities revived 15,947 water programs within the state attributable to which water has reached the tail ends even in remotest villages.
On the time when he had assumed the cost of workplace, solely 21 per cent of canal water was getting used within the state for irrigation functions and it has now reached 75 per cent, he mentioned.
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He mentioned the state authorities is making strenuous efforts to supply sufficient advertising and marketing and MSP on alternate crops like maize to convey farmers out of the wheat-paddy circle.
Mann mentioned Punjab produces 80 per cent of the entire Basmati produced within the nation including that this manufacturing might be additional enhanced within the coming days. He mentioned it will additional give a fillip to the basmati business on one hand and complement the revenue of farmers, in addition to saving the valuable pure useful resource within the type of water.
