Water-saving method big hit among farmers

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 11

Haryana farmers have taken to water-saving direct-seeded rice (DSR) technique in a big way with 40,787 acres of land coming under this alternative method of paddy cultivation. This target in eight districts in the “rice belt” in the state was 20,000 acres.

In a big boost to the BJP-JJP government’s repeated initiatives to conserve water, as many as 14,028 farmers have taken up the DSR technique in the eight districts, in which a pilot project was launched by the state government recently.

A cash incentive of Rs 5,000 per acre was also offered to farmers under the scheme.

A total of 3,201 farmers opted for the new scheme over an area of 9,628 acres in Jind, followed by 2,010 farmers (7,217 acres) in Karnal and 2,291 (6,336 acres) in Kaithal.

As many as 1,525 farmers (4,250 acres) in Ambala, 2,048 farmers (5,346 acres) in Kurukshetra, 688 farmers (2,150 acres) in Panipat, 660 farmers (1,913 acres) in Sonepat and 1,604 (3,946 acres) in Yamunanagar switched over to the new technique from traditional paddy transplantation.

Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said the overwhelming response to the scheme would provide a big boost to government’s water conservation efforts and creating awareness among farmers about the need to adopt alternative water-saving techniques.

The traditional paddy transplantation was water and labour-intensive while farmers could save 15 to 20 per cent water and labour under the DSR technique, she added.