DSR Portal Launched in Punjab To Help Paddy Farmers

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched a DSR portal on Wednesday to make it easier for farmers in the state to register their willingness to have their field seeded using the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique.

Mann praised the farmer-friendly initiative, saying that it would be useful in compiling all data about every farmer who has selected the DSR technique, as well as ensuring payment of Rs 1,500 per acre to genuine beneficiaries fairly and transparently after proper verification through this portal.

Following appropriate verification, the incentive amount of Rs 1500 per acre will be instantly transferred into the bank accounts of the individual farmers, according to state Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Sarvjit Singh, who briefed the Chief Minister on the portal's features.

Notably, Mandi Board collaborated with the Agriculture Department to develop and design this one-of-a-kind portal.

The use of this new method would save at least 15-20% of water while also assisting ineffective water percolation and, as a result, rising groundwater levels through correct recharging. This cost-effective method will also save about Rs 4,000 per acre in labor costs.

The State Government has already deployed 3,000 officers or officials from various departments, including Agriculture, Horticulture, Mandi Board, and Water and Soil Conservation, to meticulously oversee DSR operations, providing proper technical guidance to farmers and conducting verification of the area sown under this advanced technology to ensure that the Rs 1500 per acre payment is only made to genuine beneficiaries.

During the Kharif season, farmers from throughout the State are expected to cultivate paddy, including Basmati, across a total area of 30 lakh hectares (75 lakh acres). According to current statistics, paddy was seeded through DSR in an area of 15 lakh acres (six lakh hectares) last year, and the State Government has set a target of 30 lakh acres for this season.