Area under PUSA-44 down by 50% helped in saving power worth ₹477 crore, 5 billion cusecs of groundwater, says Punjab CM

Hailing the farmers for adhering to his advice of not cultivating long-duration PUSA-44, which also produces more stubble, the CM said his government was working to save farming and make it a profitable business again.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said farmers in Punjab cultivated short-duration varieties of paddy in the last kharif season instead of the water-guzzling PUSA-44, thus saving electricity worth ₹477 crore. Farmers’ efforts also helped in saving 5 billion cusecs of groundwater, the CM said in a video message.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann addresses supporters during an election roadshow in Jalandhar on Friday. (PTI)

Hailing the farmers for adhering to his advice of not cultivating long-duration PUSA-44, which also produces more stubble, the CM said his government was working to save farming and make it a profitable business again.

“The area under PUSA-44, which takes more than 150 days to mature, came down by 50% in the last paddy season. Instead, the farmers sowed PR-126, PR-127, PR-128, PR-129 and PR-130 varieties, which take only 90 days to mature,” the CM said.

According to official records, paddy was sown over 31.93 lakh hectares last season and the output was 188 lakh metric tonnes.

“We are following the words of Guru sahib, ‘pawan Guru paani pita’ and the farmers’ support is our biggest strength on this path to make Punjab ‘rangla’ again,” Mann said.

The CM again urged the farmers to refrain from sowing the water-guzzling paddy variety and go for PR-126 to PR-130 and basmati. He said basmati gets even better price than the MSP.

He also expressed satisfaction on the procurement process in state mandis.