DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Arrangements have been made to ensure uninterrupted power supply to farmers during the paddy season, Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh said on Monday. Uninterrupted electricity supply for eight hours daily will be ensured during the paddy season, and this duration may be extended if necessary, said the minister. Out of the 15 existing 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 added.

He noted that 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 power minister said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued directives to promote direct seeding of rice (DSR) method in the state. In view of this, the schedule for DSR has been released earlier than in previous years, he added.

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

In addition, the state government provides a subsidy of Rs 1,500 per acre to farmers who adopt the DSR method. He said 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, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Fazilka.

From June 5, sowing can begin in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar (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, he said while sharing details regarding paddy sowing schedule. An eight-hour daily power supply for DSR method has already started from May 15.

For other areas, the eight-hour supply will be implemented in accordance with the sowing schedule issued by the state government.

Singh assured that the government is fully committed to supporting farmers during the sowing season and has taken all necessary measures to ensure the availability of adequate power.

(editor@dailyworld.in)