Punjab sanctions over 15,500 crop residue management machines, Super Seeder emerge as most popular choice Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 19 (ANI): In [India] major step towards promoting sustainable agriculture and curbing stubble burning, the Punjab Government has sanctioned 15,613 Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines so far out of 16,837 total applications received from farmers seeking 42,476 machines across the state. Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said this. Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the state has rolled out an Rs 500 crore action plan for effective paddy straw management, aimed at promoting eco-friendly practices and reducing the environmental damage caused by stubble burning. Sharing details, the Minister highlighted that farmers across Punjab applied for 42,476 CRM machines to avail subsidy. Among these, the Super Seeder emerged as the most sought-after equipment with 14,493 applications. Other popular machines included the RMB Plough (4,265 applications), Mulcher (3,844), Zero Till Drill (3,771) and Rake (2,015). Of the 15,613 machines sanctioned so far, nearly 9,000 have already been procured by farmers. The Agriculture Minister urged farmers to refrain from burning paddy straw, stressing its harmful impact on soil fertility, air quality and public health. He encouraged farmers to adopt in-situ crop management solutions being promoted by the government. Administrative Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Dr. Basant Garg said the government''s efforts had yielded remarkable results, with stubble burning incidents declining by 70 per cent last year. Punjab recorded 10,909 cases in 2024 compared to 36,663 in 2023. He added that the state government remains committed to farmer welfare and sustainable agricultural growth by mechanising farm practices, easing the burden on farmers and enhancing productivity. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday launched ''Mission Chardikala'' to support the state government''s rehabilitation efforts for the flood-hit victims of the state.In a video message, Mann announced the launch of ''Mission Chardikala'' to rehabilitate affected families and urged citizens and Punjabis worldwide to contribute to the relief efforts. Mann further said that the state has suffered losses of approximately Rs 13,800 crore due to floods as per the initial assessment. The Chief Minister said, "Due to floods, Punjab has suffered losses of approximately Rs 13,800 crore as per the initial assessment. As water recedes, we will come to know the extent of the damage, and this figure could go up. People say this is the worst time in the history of Punjab. I say that these are the most testing times for Punjab. But any difficulty appears small before the determination and spirit of the people of Punjab. We have seen youth putting their lives in danger to save the lives of people in difficulty. This is our strength. This land of gurus, peers and martyrs is a blessed..." (ANI)