Paddy sowing advanced by 10 days

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 9

Responding to concerns expressed by farmers with respect to labour shortage, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced advancement in the paddy nursery sowing and transplantation dates by 10 days.

Also read: Move will affect water table, claim experts

The operations will now commence on Sunday and June 10, respectively, instead of May 20 fixed earlier by the Agriculture Department for sowing of paddy nursery and June 20 for transplantation, as recommended by the PAU.

The farmers had raised concerns about meeting cultivation/sowing requirements in view of labour shortage resulting from migrant labourers returning to their homes in view of the Covid crisis. Describing these concerns as understandable, the Chief Minister said the decision was in the interest of farmers.

Underlining the need to adopt the latest practice of direct seeding of rice as well as mechanised paddy transplantation technologies, the Chief Minister directed ACS (Development) Viswajeet Khanna to harness the services of the extension staff of the Agriculture Department to provide all technical support to farmers.

Further, to facilitate farmers in ensuring timely transplantation of paddy, Capt Amarinder also directed the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited to make necessary arrangements for facilitating uninterrupted power supply to the agriculture sector in this period.

Govt: Centre delaying supply of pulses

Chandigarh: Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu has accused the Centre of delaying the supply of pulses to Punjab, causing inconvenience to beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act. “Punjab has received 10,800 MT of pulses under the National Food Security Act and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana. The state received 5,565.94 MT of urad dal till Friday night. tns

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