Chandigarh, April 6:
In a major push to transform state’s agrarian landscape, Chief Minister S Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has finalised an annual action plan of Rs 1,388 crore to execute various projects of the Agriculture Department for FY 2026-27, informed S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review projects at his office here on Monday, S. Khudian said that the action plan, which has already been submitted to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for approval, lays special emphasis on crop residue management, water conservation, diversification, and natural farming.
The single largest outlay of Rs 600 crore has been allocated under the Crop Residue Management (CRM) scheme to tackle the issue of farm fires, informed the Agriculture Minister, while stating, “Our goal is to provide in-situ and ex-situ machinery to farmers at subsidised rates to ensure a permanent solution to stubble burning.”
To address depleting water tables, Rs 33.33 crore has been earmarked for the ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component, which will promote efficient water application devices like drips, sprinklers and rain guns. Meanwhile, Rs 51.85 crore will go towards seed improvement and cotton demonstration projects, and Rs 95 crore has been kept under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM) to boost farm efficiency.
The Agriculture Minister highlighted that Rs 50.30 crore has been set aside for crop diversification to steer farmers away from water-guzzling paddy towards maize, pulses and oilseeds. In line with the national push for chemical-free agriculture, Rs 8.25 crore has been proposed for natural farming. Additionally, Rs 4.17 crore will support Atmanirbharata in pulses.
Other key allocations include Rs 20 crore for soil health and fertility management, Rs 60.59 crore for agricultural extension activities. These integrated interventions will not only raise farm incomes but also secure Punjab’s ecological future, S. Khudian asserted.
S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian directed the department officials to gear up for the upcoming kharif season, emphasising timely preparation and implementation of plans.
