Jalandhar, August 17 The Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department has received as many as 270 applications from farmers’ groups to avail subsidy for farm machinery to manage stubble. The figure is nearly a seven-time increase over the previous paddy season, when 43 farmers had applied. Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said to make sure that farmers do not burn paddy straw which polluted the environment, the state government had started the scheme where the subsidy was given to farmers on farm machinery used for managing paddy straw. He said ultra-modern farm machinery was being offered for effective management of paddy straw in the field itself so that the farmers did not burn it. The DC said under the scheme, farmers were being given 50 per cent subsidy to purchase equipment such as happy seeders, paddy straw chopper, multure, hydraulic reversible MB Plant, zero till drill and super SMS rotary slasher/shrub cutter. He informed that under the scheme, there is a provision of 80 per cent subsidy for registered farmer groups or co-operative societies for opening custom hiring centres so that machinery could be used on rent by farmers. Sharma said due to burning of paddy straw several major nutrients and other micro-nutrients of soil were destroyed and several poisonous gases were produced which harmed human health. ‘Subsidy is being given on farm machinery’

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