Now, paddy not planted on 39,795 ha

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 24

With incentives from the state government under the Jal Hi Jeewan scheme to conserve water, farmers in seven districts of Haryana didn’t sow paddy on 39,795 hectares this year and instead diversified to other crops like maize, pulses and oil seeds.

Since paddy is a water guzzling crop – nearly 3,000 litres of water is consumed to produce one kilogram of rice, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had launched the scheme last month to convert 50,000 hectares of paddy land to the cultivation of other crops. The scheme had earned Khattar accolades from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting of the Niti Ayog on June 16.

“Not only in Haryana, the level of subsoil water has gone alarmingly low across the country. Sensing the gravity of the situation, we launched the Jal Hi Jeewan scheme on May 21. During all my visits to the districts, I exhorted farmers to take up the cultivation of maize, pulses and oil seeds in place of paddy and I am happy that farmers have responded to our efforts and gone for diversification of crops on nearly 40,000 hectares,” said Khattar on the success of the scheme.

“In Ambala, against the target of converting 8,000 hectares of paddy land to the cultivation other crops we have been able to do it successfully on 7,260.38 hectares. In Yamunanagar, 2,518.50 hectares have been covered under the scheme against the target of 2,500 hectares; in Kurukshetra, farmers have grown crops other than paddy on 10,629.40 hectares against the target of 7,000 hectares; in Kaithal, against the target of 11,000 hectares farmers have sown other crops on 5,004.40 hectares; in Karnal, it is 7,992.80 hectares against the target of 12,000 hectares; in Jind, 2,668 hectares against the target of 7,000 hectares; and in Sonepat district, farmers have diversified to other crops on 3,721.57 hectares against the target of 2,500 hectares,” said a spokesperson for the government.

Incentives offered by the state

• The state government has saved 14 lakh litres of water per hectare by the successful implementation of the Jal Hi Jeewan scheme.
• It is giving Rs 2,000 per acre as cash incentive to farmers diversifying from paddy to maize, pulses and oil seeds.
• It is providing farmers quality seeds, paying their part of the premium for insurance of their crops under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and providing them market for their produce so that they get a remunerative price.

All for water conservation

Not only in Haryana, the level of subsoil water has gone alarmingly low across the country. Sensing the gravity of the situation, we launched the Jal Hi Jeewan scheme on May 21. During all my visits to the districts, I exhorted farmers to take up the cultivation of maize, pulses and oil seeds in place of paddy and I am happy that farmers have responded to our efforts.—  Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief minister