Progressive farmer Jagdeep Singh sets example amongst farmers by not burning paddy straw & farm residue

Ludhiana, September 17, 2019: Under the Mission Tandrust Punjab, being started by the state government for providing clean environment to its residents, farmers are being educated about the ill effects of burning paddy/wheat straw and crop residue and several farmers are adopting techniques for in-situ management of straw and farm residues. One such farmer is Jagdeep Singh of village Rajoana Kalan near Raikot, who has managed to increase his yield by not burning the paddy/wheat straw or any crop residue. 43-year-old Jagdeep Singh is an under graduate and owns 20 acres of ancestral land in the village, where he mainly grows wheat and paddy. Since the year 2005, he has been involved in in-situ management of straw and crop residue and his efforts have also received appreciation by the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Ludhiana. Till the year 2017, he was sowing wheat with the help of roto seeder and later he started using happy seeder. As he has not burnt wheat/paddy straw and crop residue for last several years, his crops require comparatively less fertilisers and insecticides which saves money, besides his yield has increased by 5%. Under the in-situ management of crop residue scheme of the Agriculture department, Jagdeep Singh opened custom hiring centre named Kisan Sewa Centre in the year 2018, from where other farmers can hire farm machinery at affordable rates. With the help of Rs 8 lakh (80%) subsidy, he purchased MB plough, two happy seeders and one rota seeder. Jagdeep Singh has set an example of not burning paddy/wheat straw and crop residue in his fields for the last 14 years amongst his fellow farmers of village Rajoana Kalan. Due to his efforts, all farmers of his village have not burnt paddy straw for last couple of years time. The Agriculture Department has also added him in the Farmers Agriculture Group, where he has been acting as a torch bearer for other farmers. Jagdeep Singh has appealed to the farmers to not burn paddy/wheat straw and crop residues and instead plough them in their fields. He said that this not only increases soil fertility, but the yield also increases. He also urged the farmers to avail full benefit of the welfare schemes being started by the Punjab government.