Punjab's Bhagawant Mann meets protesting farmers, announces new dates for sowing paddy

According to an official release, it was earlier decided to undertake paddy cultivation in a staggered manner by dividing the entire state into four zones with date of transplantation in order to save the fast-depleting groundwater

Chandigarh: Conceding the demand of state farmers, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on 18 May announced fresh schedule for staggered sowing of paddy to 14 June and 17 June, restricting the number of total zones as decided earlier from four to just two.

However, the border belt across the fence has been excluded from the zonal restrictions and the farmers of this region have been allowed to sow paddy from 10 June.

An official release said it was earlier decided to undertake paddy cultivation in a staggered manner by dividing the entire state into four zones viz. Zone-I with date of transplantation (June 18), Zone-II (June 22), Zone-III (June24) and Zone-IV (June 26) in order to save the fast-depleting groundwater.

Chairing a meeting with the various representatives of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the Chief Minister asked the farmers to immediately go for paddy nursery so that paddy transplantation could be ensured within the stipulated time schedule.

Fulfilling his government’s firm commitment to ensure MSP on moong crop, Bhagwant Mann apprised the farm leaders that the state government has already issued a notification to procure the entire crop on MSP of Rs 7275 per quintal. He also assured the farmers that the state government is already in the mode of finalizing modalities to procure maize too on MSP to give boost to its ambitious programme of crop diversification.

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