Chandigarh: In a major boost to groundwater conservation, Punjab has recorded its highest adoption of Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) in recent years during 2026 Kharif season with over 4 lakh acres under the technique. The area marks a 36 per cent increase over last year, Agriculture Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said here on Sunday.
Sharing the final validation data, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that 31,478 registered farmers have adopted DSR across 4,00,433.26 acres this Kharif season, up from 2.94 lakh acres in 2025. With the state government providing an incentive of ₹1,500 per acre, the total payout to farmers is estimated at nearly ₹61 crore.
The Agriculture Minister said the 36 per cent jump, more than double last year’s 16 per cent, shows farmers now trust DSR as a sustainable alternative to conventional paddy transplantation. Every acre under DSR saves 15 to 20 per cent of irrigation water and called the farmer-led shift the state’s strongest defence against the groundwater crisis.
Fazilka has emerged as Punjab’s DSR capital with 1,55,422.77 acres under the technique by 12,063 farmers. It is followed by Sri Muktsar Sahib at 1,06,038.81 acres with 7,345 farmers, and Ferozepur with 38,088.59 acres covered by 1,929 farmers. Bathinda and Sangrur are also among the top five districts.
The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann, is extending continuous technical guidance and field-level support to ensure further expansion of the DSR area in the coming years,” he said, while directing the district-level officers to ensure prompt verification and disbursal of incentives. This is not just about incentives. It is about building a lasting culture of conservation in Punjab.
