NEW DELHI, May 13: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stressed the need to promote alternatives to paddy-centric farming in Punjab, in a meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann here on Wednesday.
“Today’s meeting was highly positive, constructive, and solution-oriented discussions on a wide range of issues, with crop diversification emerging as the most critical subject,” Chouhan said.
Punjab’s land is so fertile and productive that numerous alternative crops can be successfully cultivated as viable substitutes for paddy.
Chouhan said that “the need of the hour is to vigorously promote alternatives to paddy-centric farming in order to protect Punjab from the looming crises of water scarcity and soil degradation,” the agriculture ministry statement said.
Punjab, historically identified as the “land of five rivers”, must be preserved as a water-rich region and hence taking concrete steps toward water conservation is imperative, he said.
A broad consensus has been reached between the central government and Punjab to move forward together on this issue.
Chouhan said the central government would work with complete sensitivity and commitment to ensure that Punjab derives the maximum benefit from various central missions. (PTI)
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