Punjab govt provides over 28,000 agro-machines to farmers; officials say aim is to become 'zero stubble-burning' state

Chandigarh: With a view to making Punjab a ‘zero stubble burning state’, the state’s agriculture department has initiated a massive drive to provide more than 28,000 agro-machines to farmers with a subsidy component of Rs 278 crore during the current fiscal under first phase for in-situ management of paddy residue. [caption id=“attachment_5365621” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image of Punjab farmer indulging in stubble burning. PTI[/caption] According to an official spokesperson, subsidy ranging from 50 per cent to 80 per cent is being provided to farmers under the scheme with 80 per cent subsidy to cooperative societies and farmers groups while 50 per cent for individuals. The state government has focused to deliver the state-of-the-art machines to farmers including Super SMS, happy seeder, paddy straw chopper, and zero-till drill. KS Pannu, Secretary, Agriculture, said that department received around 12,000 applications from individual farmers and farmers groups and Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) till date for subsidised machinery. He said that in order to supply the requisite machinery to farmers, the Agriculture Department has fully geared up to complete the task of distribution of these implements before September 15. Agriculture Department had also already initiated Information Education Communication (IEC) activities to educate farmers about the ill-effects of paddy straw burning, added Pannu.