Punjab sets target of 5L acres of paddy transplantation under DSR technique

Bathinda: In a push to save groundwater and promote sustainable paddy cultivation, Punjab agriculture department has set a target of bringing 5 lakh acres under the direct seeding of rice (DSR) technique with a budget provision of Rs 40 crore for kharif crop season 2026-27.As per data, 23,410 farmers adopted direct seeding of rice (DSR) technique during the 2025 kharif season, covering 2,35,899 acres through direct sowing, and Rs 35.38 crore was disbursed as financial assistance."This is a farmer-led revolution in water conservation. The response in 2025-26 has laid a strong foundation. Now, with Rs 40-crore outlay and a target of 5 lakh acres for 2026-27, we are scaling up our commitment to save precious groundwater," said Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian.Urging the state farmers to adopt the water-saving DSR technique and register early to avail the incentive, the agriculture minister further added that the online DSR registration portal for farmers willing to adopt the technique is already operational.Khudian said that the DSR technique eliminates puddling and nursery transplantation, cutting irrigation water use by 15-20% and slashing labour costs significantly — a critical intervention in Punjab's broader strategy to reverse the decline of its water table, besides ensuring that economic incentive matches ecological urgency, he added. MSID: 131292455 413 |