Rs 600 cr allocated for crop residue management: Khudian

Chandigarh: Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Sunday said the state budget 2026-27 allocated Rs 15,377 crore for agriculture and allied sectors, with an enhanced budgetary provision of Rs 600 crore for crop residue management.

During FY 2025-26, Rs 402 crore was provided for subsidising stubble management equipment.

Khudian said as part of the push for direct seeded rice (DSR) adoption, the state disbursed Rs 35 crore in FY 2025-26 to incentivise water-saving techniques, with Rs 40 crore allocated for the next year. He also expressed satisfaction over the pilot project encouraging a shift from paddy to kharif maize in six districts — Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Bathinda, Sangrur, Jalandhar and Kapurthala.

With an incentive of Rs 17,500 per hectare and a dedicated allocation of Rs 15 crore for 2026-27, the minister noted that the govt was building a robust model for alternative cropping patterns.

By extending a 33% subsidy on PAU-recommended Bt-cotton hybrid seeds, we not only supported our farmers financially but also reversed the declining trend in cotton cultivation, he said.

Addressing the perennial challenge of stubble burning, Khudian noted that Rs 402 crore was utilised in FY 2025-26 to provide a subsidy on stubble management machinery. He also highlighted the allocation of Rs 7,715 crore towards power subsidy for agriculture, ensuring the continuation of free and subsidised power to sustain irrigation and productivity.

Khudian also welcomed the Rs 100 crore provision aimed at ensuring fair milk procurement prices for dairy farmers, safeguarding them against market fluctuations and supporting small and marginal producers.

In the fisheries sector, he applauded the expansion of aquaculture, noting the production of over 1,500 lakh quality fish seed and the addition of nearly 3,000 acres under fish culture.

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