Paddy sowing for kharif season to begin from June 10 in Punjab: CM Mann

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Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said that the state government is fully prepared to ensure smooth and hassle-free sowing of paddy crop during the upcoming kharif season across the state.

According to an official statement here, the chief minister said that as per the suggestions received from farmers, the state government has decided to commence the sowing of paddy across the state in a phased manner.

He said that the paddy sowing will begin on June 10, 16, 19 and 21 in different parts of the state.

The state has been divided in four zones to implement this sowing mechanism.

To ensure smooth irrigation in a staggered manner, the first phase will begin on June 10 with transplantation in the cultivable land near the international border areas.

Mann said that uninterrupted power from June 16 will be ensured in the second phase to seven districts -- Ferozepur, Faridkot, Pathankot, Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, SBS Nagar and Tarn Taran.

In the third phase, paddy transplantation will be ensured from June 19 in seven districts, including Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Fazilka, Bathinda and Amritsar.

In the remaining nine districts of Patiala, Jalandhar, Moga, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Barnala and Mansa, the crop transplantation will commence from June 21.

The chief minister said that in order to save the groundwater, the power supply for Direct Sowing of Rice (DSR) technique will start from May 20 across the state.

A notification in this regard has already been issued by the state government.

He asked the farmers to refrain from sowing paddy before these dates.

Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the paddy season, the chief minister said that a minimum eight hours of regular power supply will be ensured everyday.

In a bid to check the depleting water table, the state government will promote Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technology in a big way during the current kharif season.

DSR technique can save the ground water up to 15-20 per cent besides enhancing recharging the underground water by 10-15 per cent and saving nearly Rs 3,000 per acre on input costs including labour, he said.

Mann said that farmers opting for DSR technique will get an incentive worth Rs 1,500 per acre from the state government as announced earlier.