Minister Shivraj Chauhan listened to the farmers with maize bread and mustard greens, praised the stubble management of Punjab.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday visited Ransih Kalan village in Moga district, where he praised the farming community of Punjab for setting new records in public participation and agricultural innovation, especially in reducing stubble burning. Chouhan began his one-day visit by paying obeisance at a local gurudwara and then proceeded to the fields to review farming practices with agriculture ministry officials. The Minister interacted with farmers and understood their methods of direct sowing, less use of fertilizers and stubble management.

 

Describing Punjab as wonderful, Chauhan said that new records of public participation have been established in the Panchayat here… I am grateful to the people of Punjab. We feel as if we have come home. During this, the Minister shared traditional Punjabi food with the villagers by sitting on a cot along with Panchayat members and residents. He told ANI that after eating the traditional ‘makki ki roti aur sarson ka saag’, I am full and am feeling great.

Chouhan mentioned that the village has completely abstained from stubble burning for the last six years and credited farmers for protecting soil health and reducing pollution. He said that stubble burning has created problems in the entire country. By burning stubble we also kill the essential microorganisms present in the soil and pollution increases. He further said, “This village has not burnt stubble for the last six years. They mix it with the soil and sow the seeds directly. I am here to congratulate Ransih Kalan and his sarpanch for this achievement. I want to show this to the whole of India.

 

The minister cited government statistics showing an 83% decline in stubble burning incidents in Punjab and urged farmers across the country to follow the state’s example. Local farmer Gopal Singh told Chauhan that the village has significantly reduced the use of fertilizers without any impact on yields. Singh said that we used to use one and a half bags of DAP per acre. Now we only use one bag, and there is no change in productivity. Chauhan said that the use of urea has also reduced from three bags to two bags, while there has been no decrease in production.