PUNJAB government intensifies its efforts to prevent depleting ground water table

Chandigarh, July 16, 2013: The Punjab Government has intensived its efforts to prevent the further depleting of ground water table, which had alarmingly gone down due to  excessive sowing of paddy. To do away with this problem, the Punjab Government has emphasised on diversification of agriculture.

According to the statistics, at present there were 13. 82 lacs tubewells in the state and 50 thousands tubewells are expected to be increased in the current financial year. The water table was declining two to three feet in the 85% areas of the state due to the excessive use of water. The main reason for this was too much showing of paddy in the state which was consuming more water than the other crops. Board of Central Ground Water also suggested to the state Government to reduce the 10 lacs hectares of paddy in the state to save the ground water.

To control the depleting of ground water, an ambitious program of crop diversification has taken place. Due emphasis had been laid to double the cultivable area from five to ten lac hectares under Basmati during next three years besides focusing on cash crops of oilseeds , pulses, Maize, Sugarcane, fruits and vegetables.  The move behind the promotion of less water intensive basmati crop was to prevent the further depleting ground water table, which had alarmingly gone down due excessive sowing of paddy. For the promotion of basmati exports from the state to various countries exemption of 2% RDF, 3% of Punjab Infrastructure Development Fund and 2% of Market Fee would entail an extra expenditure to the tune of Rs. 200 crore annually on the state exchequer.

The Punjab Government also announced 75% subsidy on the seed of maze so that farmers aiming at motivating the farmers’ for the cultivation of maze.