JALANDHAR: With the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has been putting concerted efforts to make Punjab stubble burning Free State, more farmers and farmers' groups are showing an overwhelming response to get the hi-tech machines under In-Situ management for crop residue scheme this year.
This year, the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department has received 270 applications from the farmers’ groups nearly seven-time increase. The same figure was 43 in the previous paddy season which availed subsidy for farm machinery to manage stubble.
Divulging the details, the deputy commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said to ensure that farmers do not burn paddy straw which pollutes our environment, the state government has started this scheme where the subsidy is given to farmers on farm machinery used for managing paddy straw.
He said that ultra-modern farm machinery is being offered for effective management of paddy straw in the field itself so that the farmers do not burn it which leads to pollution in the environment.
The deputy commissioner said that under this scheme, farmers are being given 50% subsidy for purchase of happy seeders, paddy straw chopper, multure, hydraulic reversible MB Plant, zero till drill, super SMS rotary slasher/shrub cutter.
He informed that under this scheme, there is a provision of 80% subsidy for registered farmers groups or co-operative societies for opening custom hiring centres so that machinery can be used on rent by the farmers.
He stated that the objective behind providing these types of equipment is to decompose the stubble in the field rather than burning as it would save the environment and improve the health of the soil. Sharma said that due to the burning of paddy straw several major nutrients and other micro-nutrients of soil were destroyed adding that the burning of paddy straw produces several poisonous gases which harm human health.
The deputy commissioner said that the department is already running an intensive campaign to make the farmers aware of the harmful effects of the burning of paddy straw on the environment and human health and the environment.
He appealed to the farmers that they should come forward and adopt effective methods for its management through the latest techniques.