Ludhiana | March 20, 2026: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday made a bold pitch for bringing Artificial Intelligence into farming, saying the state’s agriculture has reached a dead end and needs a fresh push to keep farmers afloat.
He was speaking at the state-level Kisan Mela at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana, where thousands of farmers, scientists, and officials had gathered. The event became a platform for the Chief Minister to lay out his government’s vision — and take sharp aim at the opposition.
Why CM Mann Wants AI on the Farm
Mann did not mince words about the crisis in Punjab’s fields. “With shrinking profit margins, agriculture is no longer a profitable proposition,” he said, adding that farmers are struggling for basic subsistence and the growth potential of existing crop technologies has nearly hit a ceiling.
His answer to this? Artificial Intelligence.
“This technology will guide farmers on what crops to sow and when, to maximise both profit and productivity,” he said. “Punjab has always been a frontrunner in adopting innovation, and AI will revolutionise this sector.”
He framed it as a successor to the Green Revolution of the 1960s — the last time Punjab transformed its farming in a big way. “Punjab farmers scripted a new chapter then by making India self-reliant in food. But in serving the nation, they sacrificed precious natural resources like fertile soil and water. Now it is time to give something back to them.”
Water, Power, and Money — What the Government Claims to Have Done
Beyond the AI push, Mann rattled off a long list of what his government has done for farmers since 2022.
On irrigation, he said canal-irrigated land has jumped from 20.90 lakh acres in 2022 to 58 lakh acres today. Over 15,500 canals have been cleaned, 18,349 water channels restored, and canal water has reached 1,444 villages for the first time in decades. The Sirhind Canal has been upgraded after 75 years, and the Ferozepur Feeder Canal was expanded in just 35 days.
On power, he said farmers got more than eight hours of uninterrupted electricity to their tube wells during the paddy season for the first time — and during the day, not the middle of the night.
On money, he said Punjab farmers get ₹416 per quintal for sugarcane — the highest in the country. Around ₹80,000 crore is paid every year for wheat and paddy procurement, with money hitting bank accounts within 24 hours.
He also announced a ₹1,300 crore project backed by Japan’s JICA to expand horticulture, aiming to grow Punjab’s horticultural area from 3.56 lakh hectares to 16 lakh hectares by 2036 — a three-fold increase.
PAU, he noted, has ranked first among 75 public agricultural universities in India three years running — 2023, 2024, and 2025 — and is among the top 100 agricultural institutions in the world.
Sharp Words for the Opposition
Mann used part of his address to go after opposition parties, accusing them of having pushed Punjab into crisis through years of misrule.
“Traditional leaders ruined Punjab, and their hands are stained with its suffering,” he said. He took a direct shot at former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, calling him “the biggest and a chronic liar, driven only by selfish motives.”
He also announced that under the new Maavan Dhian Satkar Yojana, every woman in Punjab will receive ₹1,000 per month — and ₹1,500 for Scheduled Caste women — directly into their bank accounts. Registration begins April 13. Around 97% of women will be covered, with ₹9,300 crore set aside for the scheme.
Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian was among those present at the event.
