CHANDIGARH, JUNE 9: Even as he appealed to the farmers to strictly adhere to the Covid safety protocols in the Kharif sowing season beginning tomorrow, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Minister on Tuesday assured of uninterrupted 8-hour power supply for the tubewells, as well as regular water supply needed for successful transplantation.
In a message to the farmers ahead of the paddy sowing operations, the Chief Minister urged them to wear face mask, and diligently follow all health protocols advised by authorities from time to time. With Corona cases rising across the world, especially in India, Punjab could not remain isolated, he warned.
Expressing the confidence of another bumper Kharif crop by the state’s farmers, who had delivered in tough conditions in the recently concluded Rabi season, the Chief Minister urged all farmers to strictly follow all social distancing norms and take all necessary precautions to protect themselves.
Amid the Covid-19 crisis, Punjab had successfully completed procurement of 128 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) without a single instance of Corona infection reported from as many as 4000 mandis across the state.
This, said the Chief Minister, had demonstrated the successful implementation of social distancing norms during the intricate 40-day process, which the farmers had managed against all odds.
Captain Amarinder expressed satisfaction at the initial results of the unique direct sowing method, for which state government has provided machines to farmers this season.
The results have been encouraging, with paddy needing less water, he said, adding that the technique is also less labour-intensive. The state government has been encouraging the use of these machines in the light of the reduced migrant worker availability and the pandemic dangers involved in manual sowing.
