Cash incentive sought for crop diversification in Punjab

Khudian said the Central Government, in its letter dated June 10, 2024, had rolled out the revised guidelines for crop diversification programme (CDP) for paddy replacement which mentioned to pay cash incentive of Rs 17,500 per hectare (up to 5 hectares per farmer) to farmers who go for alternative crops like maize and cotton etc during the kharif season.

In continuation, the Government of India further issued two letters in November and December last year, but remained silent on financial support, leaving farmers in uncertainty.

Punjab Agriculture Minister was participating in the National Conference on Agriculture-Kharif Campaign-2025, held at PUSA Complex, New Delhi. Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated this national conference.

Khudian said the state government had already requested the Centre to provide incentives on per acre basis instead of the additional cost to be incurred on the management of paddy stubble and, thus, to tackle the menace of stubble burning and air pollution. He reiterated that the Punjab Government is also ready to contribute to this initiative. He also demanded consistent and continuous supply of fertilisers to the state and the continuation of wheat seed subsidy.