Agriculture and farmers welfare department to promote “Mission Fateh” amongst farmers and workers

Ludhiana: To check the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID 19) in the state, the Punjab government has launched “Mission Fateh”, under which different departments, organisations and stakeholders are working hard to promote it amongst the masses. The Kharif season has started and the Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Department Punjab is now making the farmers and workers aware about ways to save ourselves from COVID. 
While providing information, Chief Agriculture Officer Ludhiana Dr Narinder Singh Benipal informed that as the sowing of paddy crop is going on, a large number of farmers and workers are working in the fields. He said that the farmers and workers are being educated about maintaining social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands regularly.
He also appealed to the farmers to wear masks at all times and follow COVID safety measures if they want to stay safe. He warned that the number of COVID cases are on the rise in the country, and if the farmers want to keep Punjab safe, they should strictly follow all guidelines of the Punjab government.
Dr Benipal said that to ensure that least number of people come together for sowing of paddy, the Punjab government has provided 550 paddy transplanters and more than 300 DSR and other machinery to the farmers on 50% subsidy in district Ludhiana. He said that earlier, farm machinery on subsidy was also provided to the farmers for in-situ management of wheat straw.
He said that under the “Mission Fateh”, the farmers are being motivated for crop diversification. He said that agriculture is carried out on 2.75 lakh hectares of land in district Ludhiana, and last year, paddy was sown in 2.53 lakh hectares (20,000 hectares was under basmati). He said that to promote crop diversification amongst the farmers, maize is being grown on 25000 hectares of land. He said that a subsidy of Rs 185 was provided on maize seeds, and on other farm inputs.