Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Punjab expands Kharif Maize diversification scheme to 16 districts; Rs 17,500/Ha subsidy announced
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 3, 2026: In a major push towards crop diversification and groundwater conservation, the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has expanded its Kharif maize promotion scheme from six to 16 districts for the 2026–27 agricultural season.
The initiative offers a financial assistance of ₹17,500 per hectare to encourage farmers to shift away from water-intensive paddy cultivation.
Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said the decision follows an “encouraging response” to the pilot project implemented during 2025–26.
He described the expansion as a key step towards addressing the state’s declining groundwater levels by promoting maize as a sustainable alternative.
The scheme will now cover Amritsar, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Moga, Patiala, Pathankot, Rupnagar, Sangrur, SAS Nagar (Mohali), SBS Nagar and Tarn Taran, targeting around 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of maize cultivation.
Under the incentive structure, farmers will receive ₹4,500 per hectare upon submission of input bills at the block agriculture office. The remaining ₹13,000 will be disbursed in two instalments after mandatory geo-tagged verification of crops.
Khudian said the entire process—from registration to subsidy release—has been fully digitised through the government portal agrimachinerypb.com to ensure transparency and timely payments. Farmers will be required to submit a J-form and complete geo-tagging to verify that they had grown paddy in the previous season before switching to maize.
Verification of crops will be conducted in two phases via the Unnat Kisan Portal, first between July 15–25 and then August 5–15, 2026. Payments will be released by the respective district Chief Agriculture Officers after each verification stage.
The Agriculture Minister also directed field officials to intensify awareness campaigns to encourage participation. He said the government aims to make maize a viable long-term alternative by combining financial incentives with assured procurement support.
Calling the initiative crucial for Punjab’s agricultural future, Khudian said the traditional paddy–wheat cycle is “no longer sustainable” and stressed that the scheme is designed not only to promote crop change but also to safeguard the state’s depleting water resources and improve farmer profitability.