Chandigarh: In a step further aimed at saving 15-20 per cent precious groundwater of the state, the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday started the Direct Sowing of Rice (DSR) which will act as a catalyst for checking the further depletion of groundwater besides supplementing the income of farmers in a big way.
In a statement issued here today, the Chief Minister said that after assuming the charge of his office his government has taken several path breaking initiatives to safeguard the interests of the farmers.
He said that as a part of this endeavour only the state government has encouraged DSR technique of paddy cultivation as a part of which sowing under the scheme has been started from today (Thursday). Bhagwant Mann said that his government has set a target of bringing five lakh acres of land under DSR technique during this Kharif season.
Urging the farmers to make maximum use of this scheme, the Chief Minister said that this initiative is aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture on one hand and conserving the groundwater on the other. Mann further said that it is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction for him that the state government is giving financial assistance worth Rs 1,500 per acre to the farmers adopting DSR.
He said that the state government has also kept a budgetary allocation of Rs 40 crore for this purpose in the financial year 2025-26 adding that the farmers interested in it can register for the DSR scheme at online portal agrimachinerypb.com from May 10 to June 30, 2025.
The Chief Minister said that this scheme will save 15-20 per cent of the groundwater in the state besides saving the additional expenses on agriculture. CM Mann said that the DSR technique is a big boon for the state as it will help in checking the depleting groundwater levels besides reducing labour costs of approximately Rs 3,500 per acre.