The Centre has sanctioned ₹64 crore for the crop diversification plan (CDP) for Punjab, particularly during the kharif season to cut the area under water guzzling paddy and shift farmers to maize, millets and cotton.
The scheme is considered an extension of the crop residue management (CRM) plan for in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy straw started four years ago to discourage farmers from burning of paddy stubble which leads to severe environmental and health concerns.
“The state government has set a target to reduce 10 lakh hectares under paddy during five years,” said a senior officer of the state agriculture department, adding that for that the Central ministry of agriculture has sanctioned ₹34 crore for subsidised machinery and tools to facilitate cultivation of crops other than paddy and ₹30 crore for extension services and demonstration. The funds are being sanctioned under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
In kharif season, Punjab grows paddy over an area of about 32 lakh hectares, which needs irrigation and at least four inches puddling at time of transplantation. The government is offering a subsidy of up to 50% on the machines.
For facilitating cultivation of maize, millets and cotton, the state agriculture department has sought applications from farmers to buy subsidised machines for buying oil mills to extract oil from oilseeds, millet mills for processing jowar, bajra and alternate cereals, tractors mounted spray, manual and battery-operated spray pumps, power nap sacks for spraying insecticides and other agro-chemical over the alternative crops particularly maize and cotton, etc.
{{/usCountry}}For facilitating cultivation of maize, millets and cotton, the state agriculture department has sought applications from farmers to buy subsidised machines for buying oil mills to extract oil from oilseeds, millet mills for processing jowar, bajra and alternate cereals, tractors mounted spray, manual and battery-operated spray pumps, power nap sacks for spraying insecticides and other agro-chemical over the alternative crops particularly maize and cotton, etc.
{{/usCountry}}In the past five kharif seasons, 1.10 lakh more machines have been supplied to farmers in the state, with the Centre releasing ₹269 crore, ₹273 crore, ₹272 crore, ₹331 crore and ₹270 crore in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
“As far as the CDP is concerned, we are hopeful of a gradual change. It is a gradual process to shift farmers from age-old dependence on paddy crop in the kharif season,” added the official.