*Bhagwant Mann Govt ensures uninterrupted 8 hour power supply for farmers during paddy transplantation season: Tarunpreet Singh Sond*
*PSPCL fully prepared for paddy season, every AP motor connection to get more than 8 hours electricity daily: Tarunpreet Singh Sond*
*Agriculture top priority for Bhagwant Mann Govt, all arrangements completed for farmers before paddy season: Tarunpreet Singh Sond*
*Dedicated teams deployed across Punjab for round clock monitoring & immediate fault resolution during paddy season: Tarunpreet Singh Sond*
*Bhagwant Mann Govt will leave no stone unturned to protect farmers’ interests & ensure smooth paddy transplantation: Tarunpreet Singh Sond*
CHANDIGARH, 24th May 2026:Reaffirming CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government’s commitment to farmers, Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond today said that the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has made comprehensive arrangements to ensure 8 hours uninterrupted power supply during the upcoming paddy transplantation season.
Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond stayed, “The 8 hour power supply will be ensured as per the paddy transplantation schedule released by the CM Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government for various districts. From June 1, the schedule will apply to Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Hoshiarpur. From June 5, it will cover Faridkot, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka. From June 9, the districts include Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and SBS Nagar.”
He added, “The State Government has accorded top priority to the agriculture sector and all necessary preparations have been completed to facilitate farmers during the paddy season.”
Tarunpreet Singh Sond informed, “As per the directions of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, PSPCL will ensure availability of electricity for more than eight hours daily to every AP motor connection in the state so that farmers can undertake paddy transplantation smoothly and without inconvenience.”
He said, “Punjab’s hardworking farmers play a pivotal role in ensuring the nation’s food security and the state government is duty bound to provide them every possible support during the crucial farming season.”
The minister further stated, “Dedicated teams of PSPCL officials and technical staff have been deployed across the state for continuous monitoring of the power distribution system. Special instructions have been issued to field officers to remain available round the clock and ensure immediate redressal of faults, transformer issues and other technical disruptions on priority basis.”
He added, “Control rooms and complaint handling mechanisms have also been strengthened to ensure prompt response to farmers’ grievances during the transplantation period.”
Tarunpreet Singh Sond further said, “PSPCL has already completed necessary maintenance works of transmission lines, transformers and other power infrastructure in advance to avoid disruptions during peak demand season.”
The Power Minister asserted, “The Punjab Government is continuously working to strengthen the power infrastructure in the state and reliable electricity supply to all sectors, especially agriculture, remains one of the key priorities of the Bhagwant Mann Government.”
Appealing to farmers to use electricity judiciously and follow the schedule issued by PSPCL, he assured, “The state government will not leave any stone unturned in safeguarding the interests of the farming community and ensuring a seamless and successful paddy season across Punjab.”
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*PUNJAB SETS 5 LAKH ACRE DSR TARGET FOR 2026-27; ₹1,500/ACRE VIA ONLINE PORTAL: GURMEET KHUDIAN*
*• ₹40-CR allocated for 2026-27; Over ₹35.38-CR disbursed to 23,410 farmers for adopting water-saving technique in 2025-26, says Agriculture Minister*
Chandigarh, May 24:In a major push to save groundwater and promote sustainable paddy cultivation, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian announced that the state has set a target of bringing 5 lakh acres under the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique during the 2026-27 kharif season, with a dedicated budget provision of Rs 40 crore.
Sharing details of the water-conserving DSR scheme, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian informed that 23,410 farmers adopted the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique during the 2025 kharif season, covering 2,35,899 acres through direct sowing of paddy. The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government has disbursed over Rs 35.38 crore as financial assistance- at Rs1,500 per acre- directly into the bank accounts of all eligible farmers.
“This is a farmer-led revolution in water conservation. The remarkable response in 2025-26 has laid a strong foundation. Now, with a Rs 40-crore outlay and a target of 5 lakh acres for 2026-27, we are scaling up our commitment to save precious groundwater,” S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian stated.
Urging the state farmers to adopt the water saving DSR technique and register early to avail the incentive, the Agriculture Minister further added that the online DSR registration portal for farmers willing to adopt the technique, is already operational.
S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that the DSR technique eliminates puddling and nursery transplantation, cutting irrigation water use by 15-20% and slashing labour costs significantly — a critical intervention in Punjab’s broader strategy to reverse the decline of its water table, besides, ensuring that economic incentive matches ecological urgency, he added.
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*PUNJAB GOVERNMENT DECLARES GENERAL HOLIDAY ON 26 MAY ON ACCOUNT OF MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTIONS IN PUNJAB*
CHANDIGARH, MAY 24, 2026:The Punjab Government has declared a General Holiday on 26 May, 2026 (Tuesday) across the State of Punjab under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. This decision has been taken to facilitate voters to cast their votes in the General Elections of Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, and Nagar Panchayats to be held on 26 May 2026.
This holiday will also apply to all Punjab Government offices, boards, corporations, and educational institutions situated in the Chandigarh.