Tue Jun 10,
Chandigarh: Punjab has witnessed a 20% increase in the area under cotton, rising from 2.49 lakh acres last year to 2.98 lakh acres this year, claimed agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Monday.
Chairing a meeting to review the ongoing kharif season and departmental projects at Kisan Bhawan, Khudian said Fazilka district was leading in cotton acreage with 60,121 hectares, followed by Mansa (27,621 hectares), Bathinda (17,080 hectares), and Sri Muktsar Sahib (13,240 hectares).
He said Punjab govt would provide a 33% subsidy on cotton seeds to growers, with over 49,000 farmers already registered online. He directed chief agriculture officers to ensure all cotton growers completed online registration by June 15.
He also expressed satisfaction over the response to maize cultivation, with over 54,000 acres already sown in just nine days since sowing commenced on June 1. "State govt will give an incentive of Rs 17,500 per hectare to farmers for shifting from paddy to Kharif maize under a pilot project covering Bathinda, Sangrur, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, and Kapurthala districts. The project aims to bring 12,000 hectares under Kharif maize, promoting agricultural diversification and groundwater conservation. To facilitate this transition, the state govt has appointed 200 Kisan Mitras to guide and encourage farmers," he said. (Source: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com)