Panchayats can sublet stubble machines

Tribune News Service

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Jalandhar, August 23

To tackle the problem stubble burning, the state government had been introducing several innovative measures such as providing subsidy on straw management machines.

This year, the Agriculture Department has been giving in-situ and ex-situ machines to farmers. Also, for the first time, the panchayats are allowed to directly apply with the department to get machines to manage crop residue and then sublet it to farmers at affordable rates.

As per the information, the panchayats from only three villages in the district have approached the department, however, there is a three-fold rise in the applications to get the machines as compared to last year. According to the information, as many as 807 farmers have applied with the department individually, while 763 farmer groups have also approached the department for the machines, and a total of 30 cooperative societies have applied too.

Officials of the department said the machines will be given to the villages where these were not provided last year or villages where paddy straw burning cases were reported maximum last year. Assistant Agricultural Engineer Navdeep Singh said the maximum cases of stubble burning were reported from Lohian, Nakodar and Shahkot blocks.

Panchayats from Nakodar, Shahkot and Nurmehal blocks have approached the department. According to department officials, 50 per cent subsidy will be given to farmers applying on individual level while 80 per cent subsidy will be given to others.