Agri policy may face hurdles in enforcing diversification

The government’s draft Agriculture Policy has been praised by various stakeholders for its focus on addressing Punjab’s groundwater crisis by proposing a ban on paddy cultivation in 15 critical blocks. These blocks experience 300 per cent more water extraction than recharge, which has pushed the state towards desertification.

Mum on free power

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• One area of concern is the draft policy’s silence on the issue of free power for the farming sector. Economist RS Ghuman, who has researched the misuse of free power, noted that the subsidy largely benefits large farmers and should be rationalised
• He argued that targeted subsidies to small and marginal farmers could alleviate the state’s growing debt burden and allow funds to be redirected towards public health and education

Policymakers, farmers, and economists have lauded the policy, but concerns have emerged about the feasibility of implementing these recommendations, particularly given the financial challenges confronting the state and the absence of the Centre’s support in establishing a minimum support price (MSP) for alternative crops.

The draft policy suggests banning paddy in Barnala, Bhagta Bhai Ka, Bhawanigarh, Jalandhar East and other blocks, while encouraging farmers to switch to crops such as cotton, maize, sugarcane, vegetables and orchards. It also proposes compensating farmers who opt for these alternatives.

However, the shift from paddy, which contributes

Rs 40,000 crore to Punjab’s economy, is seen as a challenge. Farmer unions, including the Kirti Kisan Union, emphasise that any move to conserve groundwater must not jeopardise farmers’ incomes. Rajinder Singh Deepsinghwala, general secretary of the Kirti Kisan Union, said banning paddy would be viable only if farmers were guaranteed income from alternative crops.

In villages of Shahkot and Mansa, farmers have expressed reluctance to move away from paddy without viable income-generating alternatives. Paddy grower Salwinder Singh from Janian village highlighted the need for assured returns, lamenting the Centre’s refusal to fix MSP for all crops, despite past protests. Meanwhile, Kulwant Singh from Kishangarh village of Mansa suggested reducing the power supply to agricultural pumps rather than imposing a ban on paddy. He argued that reducing the daily eight-hour power supply could help curb water wastage.

Farmers like Kulwinder Singh from Nadampur village in Bhawanigarh believe that a phased approach would be more effective, and recommends the promotion of short-duration paddy varieties that need less water rather than a blanket ban, which could cause unrest.

Agro-economist Dr MS Sidhu called the policy “a step in the right direction”, but stressed the need for funds from the Centre to ensure its success. He praised the policy’s provisions for cooperative farming, farmer pensions and debt settlement, but warned that the state alone could not bear the financial burden caused by such reforms.