Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said the state government is encouraging farmers to adopt crop diversification and eco-friendly farming techniques. “We are giving a big boost to conserving water in the state by launching an effective technique for paddy growers,” he added

The chief minister said direct seeding of rice (DSR) technology is another first-of-its-kind incentive-driven push that has been introduced as a pilot project by the state government recently to promote water conservation.

Khattar said a cash incentive of ₹4,000 per acre is being offered to the farmers under the scheme. Farmers of 12 paddy growing districts of Haryana under the watch of agriculture and farmers’ welfare department experts will be able to grow paddy through this technique during the current paddy cultivation season.

Growing rice by sowing the seed is already prevalent in a few rice-producing pockets of Haryana. The government is promoting this alternative way of cultivating rice to ensure that the water conservation movement gets a boost in the state and farmers get benefit through this, he added.

“It’s another new and unique initiative in the state to give incentive and support to thousands of farmers who earn their bread and butter through paddy cultivation. This will not only provide them a cost-effective method but also fetch them the desired exposure and education about the new techniques to strengthen their practices,” Khattar said.

“DSR technique with financial help is another big decision of the Haryana Government to inspire farmers to opt for crop diversification, reduce area under paddy cultivation and go for eco-friendly farming techniques,” he added. This incentive-based scheme will be implemented in 12 districts including Ambala, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Panipat, Jind, Sonipat, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Rohtak, and Hisar.

DSR-cultivated paddy plots will spread across 6,000 acre each in Yamunanagar, Panipat, and Sonipat 7,000 acres in Ambala, 8,000 acres each in Sirsa, Hisar, Rohtak, 9,000 in Fatehabad, 10,000 acres each in Karnal and Kurukshetra, and 11, 000 acre each in Kaithal and Jind.  Basmati rice can be grown as DSR under non-puddle conditions and it can be done in almost all types of soils suitable for rice growing. To get the benefit of this scheme, farmers have to first register themselves on ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ (MFMB) portal by 30 June. After that the physical verification will be done by a committee by 25 July and uploaded on MFMB, immediately. The benefits of the DSR scheme will be provided through DBT to DSR verified farmers.

The Chief Minister further said that the state government has introduced two schemes including ‘Mera Pani, Meri Virasat’ and ‘Kheti Khaali, Fir Bhi Khushali’ schemes. Under the ‘Mera Pani, Meri Virasat’ scheme, farmers switching over to alternate crop in place of paddy are being given ₹7,000 per acre incentive. Apart from this, ‘Kheti Khaali, Fir Bhi Khushali’, schemes fetch ₹7,000 per acre incentive to farmers, if they do not grow any crop in their field during  the paddy season, he added.

LAYS FOUNDATION STONE OF 38 PROJECTS IN SIRSA

After laying foundation stones of 38 projects costing Rs 368 crore in Sirsa district, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said that to give more impetus to development, the State government has launched Gram Darshan and Nagar Darshan Portals, on which any citizen can send the demand for any development work related to their area. Whatever works are feasible; the government will do on priority. The development works are being done in the state without any discrimination, he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, Power Minister Ranjit Singh, MP, Sunita Duggal and other dignitaries also remained present on the occasion.

While interacting with media persons, Khattar said that soon the construction work of a medical college in Sirsa will start. He informed that the land has been given to the department for the construction of the said medical college in Sirsa at a cost of Rs. 988 crore. With the construction of a medical college, the people of the district and the nearby area will get the benefit of this medical college.  He said that in the last seven and a half years, development works are being done equally in the entire state without any discrimination. The Chief Minister said that under the Antyodaya Utthan Yojana, Antyodaya Melas were organized in the state, in which 2.5 lakh eligible families were invited. He said that 88,000 people came to the Melas, out of which more than 40,000 families applied under the schemes of the government and the departments approved it.

The Chief Minister informed that more than 22,000 families have got loan approval from the banks and the amount has also gone in the accounts of most. He said that the aim of the government is to raise the standard of living of one lakh poor families by providing them financial assistance through various means.

PANCHAYAT AND CIVIC POLLS WILL BE HELD SOON

In response to a question regarding the elections, he said that the preparations for the elections have been started by the Election Commission. The process of ‘wardbandi’ and reservation in rural areas will take two months. Polls of the City Municipal Council and Municipalities will be held soon. In Sirsa district, the elections of Municipal Council Dabwali, Municipality Rani and Ellenabad will be held in the first phase and the area of Municipal Council Sirsa and Nagar Palika Kalanwali has been increased, so it will take some more time.  In response to questions regarding drug addiction in the district, the Chief Minister said that the government is serious about the problem of drug addiction, and an anti narcotics cell has been set up by the government. The cooperation of social organizations is also being taken in this. A campaign will also be run by the Anti Narcotics Bureau in the next three months across the state, under which committees will be formed at the district, subdivision and village level and people will be made aware.