Punjab farmers prefer to go the mechanised way
CHANDIGARH: In a process initiated by the Punjab agriculture department, as many as 70,977 applications were received from individual farmers and co-operative groups to get subsidised machines for in-situ management of paddy straw.
The state department called it an overwhelming response and hoped that it would make a visible difference as far as stubble burning is concerned during the paddy harvest season, which is expected to kick-start in five to six weeks from now. In the last two years, the number of straw burning cases crossed 51,000 and this time the state government is expected to bring it down considerably.
This is third consecutive year when machines were given on subsidy to curb burning of stubble.
The Centre has sanctioned ₹250 crore for Punjab, under the crop residue management scheme, for subsidising the purchase of 23,000 machines for in-situ management of paddy.
Over the past two years, around 51,000 such machines have been given to farmers at subsidy ranging between 50% and 80%. In a video conference held with officials at the Centre, the Punjab government has asked for ₹337 crore.
“In 2018 and 2019, we received ₹500 crore to get the machines. This year, we have started a process for empanelling companies to manufacture and sell machines for in-situ management of paddy stubble,” said Punjab agriculture secretary Kahan Singh Pannu.
He said the response this year has been overwhelming as more than double applications were received against the number of machines to be given out this year. “We can attribute the change to rising awareness among the farmers and if we manage to bring down the number of burning cases, we will be able to say that a difference was made,” added Pannu.
Out of the total requests for machines, 21,350 are from individual farmers’ category, who would get 50% subsidy, and the rest (49,627) from cooperative societies eligible for 80% subsidy.
Pannu said district level committees would carry out scrutiny of each application as the number of applications have exceeded by over two time than the number of machines to be given.
Among all the machines offered on subsidy for in-situ management, newly modified super seeder machines are a hit among the agrarian community as 25,638 applications have been received for the same.