In a bid to create alternative measures to curb the stubble burning in the state as committed by the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has drafted an action plan worth Rs 350 crore for providing straw management machinery at heavy subsidised rates.
Wherein, co-operative societies & other groups can avail subsidy of 80 per cent, on the other side, individual farmers will get 50 per cent subsidy.Disclosing this here today, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Mr. Gurmeet Singh Khuddian informed that the department has submitted the action plan of Rs.350 crore to Centre Government to provide funds for the current year and over 20,000 machines would be made available on subsidy to individuals for crop residue management and 1000 Custom Hiring Centers would also be established.
He said that the department has invited applications from farmers, cooperative societies, FPOs and Panchayats interested in availing subsidy on various Crop Residues Management (CRM) machinery during Kharif season 2023. Under the scheme, Super SMS, Super Seeder, Smart Seeder, Happy Seeder, Paddy Straw Chopper/Shredder/Mulcher, Hydraulic Reversible Mould Board Plough and Zero Till Drill for in-situ management and Baler and Rake in ex-situ machines are being made available on subsidy.
The rate of subsidy on the above-mentioned machines for the individual farmers is 50% of the cost of equipment and 80% for cooperative societies, FPOs, Panchayats limited to a maximum as per the guidelines of the Scheme.
Appealing the farmers to make the most of this scheme to bring down the crop residue burning cases to zero in the state, Mr. Gurmeet Singh Khuddian said that the last date for applying to avail the subsidy on the department’s portal agrimachinerypb.com is July 20, 2023.
Apart from this, the department would also launch an Information Education and Communication campaign to educate and train farmers about the available technologies for management of crop residues as the Punjab Government is proactively taking steps to address the problem of stubble burning in the State.
The Agriculture Minister also asked the department office to ensure transparency in the whole process and strict action will be taken against violation of rule & regulations.