Close X
Saturday, November 30, 2024
ADVT 
India

Punjab announces cotton mechanisation programme

Darpan News Desk Darpan, 05 May, 2014 04:33 PM
    The Punjab government Monday announced that a "Cotton Mechanisation Programme" would be introduced in the cotton-producing Malwa belt of south-west Punjab.
     
    It will give a boost to crop diversification in the state and maximise profit of cotton cultivators.
     
    Under the programme, okayed by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, pneumatic planters, cotton picking machines and high yielding varieties of seeds would be introduced. A "Centre of Excellence of Cotton" would also be set up in Bathinda, a spokesman of the chief minister's office said here.
     
    "The project primarily aims at maximising the profit of the cotton cultivators, reducing the input cost by overcoming the problem of expensive labour and bringing down the process of cotton cultivation to pave way for high yield of wheat crop," he said.
     
    Under the ambitious programme, the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) and the state agriculture department will work with agro companies like John Deer, Bayer India and others. They will conduct adaptive trails on 1,500 acres of land in villages near Malout of Muktsar district by practicing high density cotton cultivation, in which seven packets of cotton seeds were sown instead of existing two over one acre of land.
     
    Farmers will be given equipment for sowing and chemicals by private companies free of cost.
     
    "To encourage the farmers for adopting high density cotton cultivation, the state government would provide a subsidy of Rs.4,000 per acre to the farmers under the programme," he said.
     
    Punjab farmers mostly do wheat-paddy cycle farming. The state is the biggest contributor of foodgrains to the central kitty.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Trace Modi's wife: Letter asks CJI, Delhi CJ

    Trace Modi's wife: Letter asks CJI, Delhi CJ
    An advocate from Meerut has written a letter to the Chief Justice of India and Delhi High Court Chief Justice seeking their intervention for the "safety and security" of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's wife Jashodaben, alleging she has been "wrongfully confined at some unknown place".  

    Trace Modi's wife: Letter asks CJI, Delhi CJ

    Delhi teacher arrested for molesting five students

    Delhi teacher arrested for molesting five students
    A 35-year-old school teacher was Tuesday arrested here for molesting five girl students in the school premises, police said.

    Delhi teacher arrested for molesting five students

    Modi says 'Yeh dil maange' 300 lotuses, triggers row

    Modi says 'Yeh dil maange' 300 lotuses, triggers row
    BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Tuesday appealed to voters to ensure his party's victory in 300 Lok Sabha constituencies, but his use of Kargil hero Vikram Batra's oft-quoted phrase "Yeh dil maange more" sparked a controversy with Batra's parents raising objections.

    Modi says 'Yeh dil maange' 300 lotuses, triggers row

    Except polling station, EC bans Punjab minister's movement in Amritsar

    Except polling station, EC bans Punjab minister's movement in Amritsar
    Coming down hard on Punjab cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia, the Election Commission Monday ordered that his movement will be restricted to the polling station area from where he is an elector till polling ends.

    Except polling station, EC bans Punjab minister's movement in Amritsar

    'Renewable energy could address India's energy needs'

    'Renewable energy could address India's energy needs'
    Harnessing of renewable energy like wind, solar and biomass could address India's energy needs, a senior Indian official averred here Monday.

    'Renewable energy could address India's energy needs'

    Not mandatory for private hospitals to treat poor for free: HC

    Not mandatory for private hospitals to treat poor for free: HC
    In a setback to poor patients, the Delhi High Court Monday exempted city's four big private hospitals from the "mandatory obligation" to provide free treatment to certain percentage of poor patients.

    Not mandatory for private hospitals to treat poor for free: HC