29
Apr
Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann officially announced a staggered paddy sowing schedule for the 2026 season on Wednesday, aimed at curbing the state’s rapidly depleting groundwater levels and optimizing the power grid. Under this strategic initiative, the state has been partitioned into four distinct zones to ensure that transplantation does not occur simultaneously across all districts. This phased approach is designed to prevent a massive, localized surge in electricity demand while also addressing the perennial issue of agricultural labour shortages by extending the overall transplantation window. According to the government mandate, the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR)…