SAS Nagar November 29, 2024: Under the directions of the Minister of Defence Services Welfare, Freedom Fighter Horticulture Mohinder Bhagat, the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Sardar Bhagwant Singh Mann, continuous efforts are being made to increase the income of horticulture and ensure crop diversification. Under which the Punjab Government is running various subsidy schemes in the horticulture sector to encourage horticulture.
In this regard, Deputy Director Horticulture, SAS Nagar Dr. Narinderbir Singh Mann said that we need to get out of the wheat-paddy crop cycle and focus on other profitable crops while adopting agricultural diversification. So that the declining groundwater level and natural resources can be saved.
The Deputy Director Horticulture said that in order to encourage horticulture and provide technical information, the department is running various schemes like planting new gardens, cultivation of hybrid vegetables, cultivation of flowers, mushroom production unit, vermicompost unit, establishment of poly house/net house for safe farming, unit; and under this unit, the department is providing 40 to 50 percent subsidy on activities like honey beekeeping, small tractor for gardens, power tiller, spray pump etc.
Apart from this, a subsidy of Rs 2 lakh is being provided at the rate of 50 percent for preparing pack houses in the field for post-harvest maintenance of flowers and vegetables and a subsidy of 35 percent is being provided for cold stores, ripening chambers, integrated pack houses, refrigerated vans, storage for onions etc.
He said that apart from these existing schemes, some new schemes have been launched by the government. In which, to increase the area under gardens, gardeners will be given 50 percent incentive of Rs. 10,000 per acre for planting new gardens under drip irrigation, and 50 percent incentive of Rs. 10,000 per acre for changing the sheet of poly house and cladding material up to a maximum of 4,000 square meters.
Apart from this, gardeners have been provided with 50 percent subsidy on crates and boxes for marketing fruits and vegetables. Farmers have a subsidy of Rs. 14,000/- at a rate of 40 percent for flower seed production.
He appealed to the farmers to take maximum benefit of these schemes so that the horticulture sector can be taken forward and for more information regarding these, benefits can be taken by coordinating with the concerned horticulture officer of the block or the head of the district. Horticulture Development Officers posted in District SAS Nagar can be contacted through their mobile numbers. Dr. Komalpreet Singh (Block Kharar) 96463-09238, Dr. Kamalpreet Kaur (Block Kurali) 75080-18996 and Dr. Amanpreet Kaur (Block Derabassi) 99966-99276 can be contacted on these numbers.