Office of District Public Relations Officer, Sri Muktsar Sahib ₹1500 per acre financial assistance for DSR adopters Cabinet Minister visits fields to personally motivate farmers
Lambi/Sri Muktsar Sahib, May 27,2025 FACT RECORDER
To conserve Punjab’s precious groundwater, farmers should adopt the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique, which can help arrest the declining water table. This was emphasized by Punjab’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, S. Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, while interacting with farmers in the fields of village Kakkhanwali in the Lambi constituency.
He stated that the Punjab Government has set a target of bringing 5 lakh acres under DSR during the current Kharif season to promote sustainable agriculture and conserve underground water. DSR sowing began on May 15.
S. Khuddian said that farmers can start rice cultivation using the DSR technique. He added that under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government is providing financial assistance of ₹1500 per acre to farmers who adopt this method. A budget of ₹40 crore has been allocated for the financial year 2025–26. Farmers can register for the DSR scheme online at agrimachinerypb.com until June 30, 2025.
The minister also informed that Basmati rice growers are eligible for the same assistance if they use the DSR technique this season.
During the 2024 Kharif season, the Punjab Government provided ₹29.02 crore in financial aid to 21,338 farmers who adopted DSR. A total of 2.53 lakh acres was covered under DSR in 2024—a 47% increase compared to 1.72 lakh acres in 2023.
He further informed that the verification of fields under DSR, including for Basmati, will be conducted between July 1 and July 15, 2025.
Highlighting the benefits of DSR, S. Gurmeet Singh Khuddian described it as a significant milestone for Punjab’s agriculture. He said DSR is more beneficial than traditional rice transplantation, saving 15-20% water and reducing labor costs by approximately ₹3500 per acre. He urged farmers to adopt this environment-friendly method and make the most of this scheme.
On this occasion, the Chief Agriculture Officer mentioned that farmers can get more information from the ‘Muktasar Dian Kheti Soochnaavan’ YouTube channel or by contacting the farmer helpdesk at 98781-66287.
Present on this occasion were: Block Agriculture Officer Dr. Vijay Kumar, PD ATMA Dr. Karanjeet Singh, ADO Dr. Sukhchain Singh, Dr. Gurjeet Singh, Dr. Sukhjinder Singh, Dr. Jashanpreet Singh, Dr. Amanpal Singh, AEO Dr. Satnam Singh, Sarpanch Harpinder Singh of Sikhanwala, Block Committee Member Gurdyal Singh, Gurdwara Committee President Falol Singh, Harbans Ram, Block President Ravinder Singh, Sarpanch of Kakkhanwali Dhian Singh, Harpreet Singh, and other staff members.
