CHANDIGARH, 15 May 2025: The Punjab government has set an ambitious target to bring five lakh acres under Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) during the current kharif season, in a bid to promote sustainable agriculture and conserve groundwater resources.

State Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian announced that farmers can begin using the DSR technique from Thursday and will receive financial assistance of INR 1,500 per acre as an incentive. A budgetary provision of  INR 40 crore has been made to support the initiative this year.

Highlighting the method’s advantages, Khuddian said DSR enables 15–20% water savings—crucial in a state battling fast-depleting groundwater levels—and cuts labour costs by approximately INR 3,500 per acre. He urged farmers to embrace this eco-friendly alternative to traditional paddy transplanting.

Basmati rice growers have also been included in the scheme and are eligible for the INR 1,500 per acre incentive.

Last year, Punjab saw a notable uptick in DSR adoption, with 2.53 lakh acres under the method—up from 1.72 lakh acres in 2023, a 47% increase. The government had disbursed INR 29.02 crore to over 21,000 farmers in 2024 for switching to the DSR technique.

Khuddian expressed hope that more farmers would transition to DSR this year to secure both environmental and economic benefits, reinforcing Punjab’s commitment to sustainable agriculture.

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