The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has chalked out a comprehensive plan to make Muktsar in Punjab a district with 'zero burning' of paddy straw or crop residuals.
'Jawala Bai Trust' a NGO would be channel partner with Nabard in this endeavour, Moga Deputy Commissioner Jaskiran Singh said here.
Under the project, Nabard would launch a concerted awareness campaign to motivate the peasantry against burning the paddy straw and other crop residuals in 79 villages of district.
Singh said earlier, Nabard had completed its pilot project successfully in 12 villages of district.
Results of pilot project proved that farmers can save up to Rs 5,000 per acre by not burning a paddy/wheat straw, he added.
Nabard has sectioned a special project to Jawala Bai Trust, under its Rural Innovation Fund (RIF) Scheme. Under the project, Nabard would first provide them theoretical knowledge at Block level subsequently it would organise awareness camps in all 79 village covering all four blocks, he said.
In these camps, demonstrations of latest eco-friendly and money earning techniques of paddy straw management would also be given to farmers.
Punjab government has been providing 50 per cent subsidy on purchase of Bailer machine to make bales of paddy straw.
He said the burning of crop residual not only causes detrimental effect on the environment but it also burns lots of micro and macro nutrients from soil.
He said now farmers would be motivated to make its bales to sale them to Bio Mass Power Plant established in district.
