Punjab government has launched a special scheme to release direct subsidy to farmers, allowing them to purchase agricultural and horticultural implements from any empanelled firm of their choice.
The decision in this regard was taken by the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on the basis of a detailed proposal submitted by the Chairman Punjab State Farmers' Commission after having discussions with the experts of the Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, a statement said.
Badal cleared the proposal to this effect, allowing farmers to avail subsidy of 50 per cent on a list of 61 approved agricultural and horticultural implements under various schemes for the current fiscal 2014-15.
The chief minister also directed the state agriculture department to ask various empanelled firms for taking necessary action in this behalf.
This decision would enable the farmers to negotiate price with the supplier of their choice and avail subsidy accordingly.
This would also help in stabilisation of prices of subsidised equipment in the market, besides giving a fillip to farm mechanisation and effective management and disposal of crop residues in order to save the environment from pollution.
