Punjab sets up Development Board to promote maize cultivation

The Punjab government today said it has constituted a Development Board for motivating farmers to grow maize.
The Board has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Agriculture Minister Tota Singh as Vice Chairman besides 12 members, an official spokesman said.
The Board has been mandated to examine and review the status of cultivation of maize crop and to suggest measures for development, to coordinate the activities of Research and Development for improving their productivity and production and upgrade their quality through propagation of appropriate crop production technology.
The focus of Punjab government is to motivate farmers to opt maize cultivation as an alternative to paddy.

In view of the depleting water table and forecast of "deficit" rainfall during this year, the government is encouraging farmers to bring more area under maize cultivation as the soil in Punjab is equally conductive and suitable for its cultivation and good production.