DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday thanked the farmers of Punjab for following his advice and not cultivating PUSA-44 type of paddy last season, a move which he said resulted in saving electricity worth Rs 477 crore. The chief minister said he is working hard to save farming and make it a profitable business again.

Mann also said he ensured that the farmers should get required electricity in the daytime.

Mann, in a video message, said that he requested the farmers to not sow PUSA-44, a long duration paddy variety, in the last kharif season as it takes more than 150 days to get ready.

He said paying heed to his advice the area under PUSA-44 was decreased by 50 per cent.

Instead of PUSA-44, our farmers planted PR-126, PR-127, PR-128, PR-129 and PR-130 variety which only take 90 days to mature, Mann said.

"Due to lesser area under PUSA-44, the electricity worth Rs 477 crore was saved and it also saved 5 billion cusecs groundwater," he said. Asserting he is extremely happy that farmers followed his advice at one simple request, the chief minister said he will always take decisions for the betterment of Punjab.

Mann said PUSA-44 produces more stubble than other varieties and requested the farmers again that they should not sow this variety at all.
(editor@dailyworld.in)