DSR Gains Momentum: ₹50 crore has been set aside to give farmers who chose DSR ₹1,500 in cash support per acre, according to Gurmeet Singh Khudian.
Farmers who would like financial support can register on the portal until July 15th.
The intense efforts of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann to encourage farmers to use Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) in the state have received a significant boost even though the current Kharif sowing season is only halfway through. The area covered by this water-saving method has already increased by 15% over the previous year. Using the DSR technique, more than 2 lakh acres have already been sown; during the entire Kharif season of the previous year, 1.72 lakh acres were planted.
S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, the Minister of Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, described it as a wonderful success but expressed optimism that the Agriculture Department’s goal of 5 lakh acres under DSR this season would be met.
He continued by saying that the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, has been offering financial help to farmers in the amount of Rs. 1,500 to encourage them to use the DSR approach. The department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has set aside Rs. 50 crore to offer monetary support to farmers who choose to employ this method in 2024–2025.
S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian addressed the farmers that the Punjab government had given them Rs. 20.33 crore in financial support for adopting DSR during the 2023–2024 period, and he urged them to work with the state government to save groundwater by choosing DSR.
According to him, in order to receive the financial aid, farmers who have chosen the DSR must register on the official website, agrimachinerypb.com, by July 15, 2024.
The Minister of Agriculture stated that excellent yields and lower labor costs are two benefits of the DSR approach, in addition to its ability to conserve water.