Shivraj urges farmers to follow Punjab village’s successful stubble management
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday asked farmers to follow the example of a Punjab village in stubble management, saying it has not burnt crop residue for the past six years.
Chouhan was on a day-long visit to Punjab.
During his arrival in Moga, Chouhan visited Ransih Kalan village to meet farmers who have stopped burning stubble for the past several years.
Earlier in the morning, Chouhan also savoured ‘makki di roti’ and ‘sarson da saag’ — a famous Punjabi dish — while sitting on a ‘manja’ (charpoy). “I have just come here. People’s love is amazing,” said Chouhan while speaking with reporters. He said he has the privilege of coming to the holy land of Punjab.
“The village of Ransih Kalan is a role model for stubble management. Farmers of the village have abstained from burning stubble for the past six years, resulting in more fertile soil and a 30 per cent reduction in chemical fertiliser use,” said Chouhan.
Ransih village in Moga district is known for many initiatives undertaken by village Sarpanch Preetinderpal Singh, commonly known as Mintu Sarpanch.
Among major initiatives of the village included providing cash incentives to farmers for not burning crop residue, cash incentives for growing fruit plants, cash rewards for promoting reading books in a village library, a plastic-free campaign, rain harvesting and an anti-drug campaign.
Speaking on the issue of stubble burning, Chouhan said such incidents have made the whole country worried.
With the stubble burning, a field may get cleared for the next crop but friendly insects are also burnt, besides causing the problem of pollution, he said.
“I have come here to congratulate Punjab and take this experiment to the whole country,” he said.
Chouhan said there has been an 83 per cent decline in stubble-burning incidents this year.
Some people ask what the alternative is if stubble is not burnt, as they have to sow a wheat crop, said Chouhan.
The minister cited the example of Ransih Kalan village where he said no stubble burning incident took place in the past six years.
“The experiment took place here. Ransih Kalan village has not been burning stubble for six years. They mix stubble in fields and carry out direct seeding. I came here to show this experiment to the whole country,” said the Union minister.
Referring to the problem of stubble burning, Chouhan, at a separate event, said the experiments of some scientists proved that stubble is not ‘bojh’ (burden) and it can be converted into a ‘vardan’ (boon), like Ransih Kalan village did.
He explained many advantages of not burning crop residue, saying mixing stubble in fields and direct seeding lead to saving water, diesel, lesser use of fertilisers and an increase in soil fertility. “I am giving a message from here that what farmers of Ransih Kalan have done, farmers of the entire country should adopt,” stressed Chouhan.
He said a potato farmer also stated that they now do not use potash for this crop as stubble has potash. “The size and quality of potatoes are better,” said Chouhan. “This village is a school,” noted the minister, who met farmers and praised them for their initiatives.
