Chandigarh, May 19 (IANS) The Punjab government has completed all arrangements to ensure uninterrupted power supply to farmers during the plantation of paddy, state Power Minister Harbhajan Singh said on Monday.

He said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued directives to promote DSR (direct sowing of paddy), and the schedule for it has been released earlier than in previous years.

The minister said it takes approximately 3,800 litres of water to produce one kg of rice using traditional methods, whereas the DSR method can save 400-500 litres of water per kg of rice.

In addition, the government provides a subsidy of Rs 1,500 per acre to farmers who adopt the DSR method.

The minister added that uninterrupted electricity supply for eight hours daily will be ensured during the paddy season, and this duration may be extended if necessary.

Out of the 15 power units in the state, 14 are currently operating at full capacity, and the remaining unit will be functional within the next three days. He said last year the peak electricity demand in the state was 16,058 MW, and this year, arrangements have been made for 17,000 MW. Furthermore, the power plants have a 30-day coal reserve, and transmission infrastructure in the state has also been upgraded.

The minister said paddy sowing, including DSR, will be conducted in a phased manner according to the prescribed schedule. Direct sowing is permitted from May 15 to May 31. From June 1, sowing will be allowed in areas near the international border and those with canal irrigation facilities, including Faridkot, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Muktsar Sahib, and Fazilka. From June 5, sowing can begin in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Rupnagar, Mohali, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Hoshiarpur. Sowing in the remaining districts — Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar — will commence from June 9.

–IANS

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