In order to encourage farmers towards Direct Seeding of Rice under State Government’s ‘Kaamyab Kisan, Khushaal Punjab’ program, Deputy Commissioner Apneet Riyait on Wednesday visited village Kaane in Shamchurasi, where she herself drove tractor to start direct sowing of paddy in the field of a farmer.While holding discussions with the farmers related to Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR), Deputy Commissioner Apneet Riyait said that it is high time to save precious natural resource water by adopting the techniques of DSR, which would immensely useful as the ground water table was depleting day by day. The Deputy Commissioner, along with the Chief Agriculture Officer Dr. Viney Kumar, herself drove tractor in the field of progressive farmer Gurvinder Khangura to get the DSR started. She apprised the farmers that the State Government was extending all out support and cooperation to farmer for DSR and they should take full advantage of the program through Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department. Farmers can save water up to 20 to 25 percent by choosing DSR, which also ensures the high yield of the crop, said the Deputy Commissioner adding that the direct seeding was not only cheap and best practice for paddy cultivation but also an easy process. She urged farmers to give priority to crops consuming less water as compare to others.The Chief Agriculture Officer and his team apprised the Deputy Commissioner that with the concerted efforts of the departmental teams and cooperation of farmers nearly 3200 acres had been brought under the direct seeding of rice.
The departmental teams are in constant touch with the farmers to motivate them towards this water saving program. In case any farmer seeks assistance or facing any problem related to DSR, he/she can contact Block Agriculture Officer, Agriculture Development Officer or the office of CAO. Across Punjab over 30 lakh hectares are under the cultivation of DSR, which depends upon the underground water being brought out by tubewells and the excessive use of precious water could be contained by adopting DSR, he added. Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Agriculture Development Officer (P.P.) Dr. Jasvir Dhindsa, Assistant Agriculture Engineer Lovely, Block Agriculture Development Officer Dr. Simranjit Singh, Block Technology Manager Kamaljit Singh. Apart from these farmers namely Dharampal, Ashok Kumar, Navdeep Bhullar, Hardeep Singh, Rupinder Singh, Amarpal Singh and Nirmal Singh etc.DSR call of day to save water: A graduate and progressive farmer Gurvinder Singh of Pandori Khangura, who has been implementing DSR for the last three years consecutively, said that this method can save water at a large scale besides reducing the input costs. “I am getting the high yield of crop since last three years with low cost from the sowing till reaping besides receiving remunerative price. The teams of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department motivated me towards DSR and extend all possible support, which paved a way to turn the direct seeding in my field into reality and a success,” said Khangura while appealing to other farmers to come forward for DSR in context to save underground water.