Chandigarh: In a significant step in direction of strengthening the state’s agrarian financial system, the Punjab authorities led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has finalised an annual motion plan price ₹1,388 crore for the Agriculture Division for the monetary 12 months 2026–27.
Sharing particulars, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian stated the plan has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for approval and focuses on key areas resembling crop residue administration, water conservation, crop diversification, and pure farming.
A serious portion of ₹600 crore has been earmarked below the Crop Residue Administration (CRM) scheme to deal with the difficulty of stubble burning. The federal government goals to offer each in-situ and ex-situ equipment to farmers at subsidised charges to make sure a long-term answer to farm fires.
To deal with declining groundwater ranges, ₹33.33 crore has been allotted below the ‘Per Drop Extra Crop’ initiative to advertise environment friendly irrigation techniques like drip and sprinkler applied sciences. The plan additionally contains ₹51.85 crore for seed enchancment and cotton demonstration initiatives, together with ₹95 crore below the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM) to boost farm productiveness.
In a bid to scale back dependence on water-intensive paddy cultivation, ₹50.30 crore has been put aside for crop diversification, encouraging farmers to shift in direction of maize, pulses, and oilseeds. Moreover, ₹8.25 crore has been proposed for selling pure farming, whereas ₹4.17 crore will assist self-reliance in pulses manufacturing.
Additional allocations embody ₹20 crore for soil well being and fertility administration and ₹60.59 crore for agricultural extension companies geared toward higher outreach and farmer consciousness.
The minister stated these initiatives are designed to spice up farmers’ earnings whereas making certain long-term environmental sustainability
