Punjab will get regular coal for ‘Paddy Cultivation’, promised by the Central Government before the start of Kharif season

Rabi season has ended. Along with this, the preparations for Kharif season have also started. For which the governments including farmers are also active at their own level, in which all are already making plans for the cultivation of paddy, the main crop of Kharif season. In this episode, the Punjab Government is also engaged vigorously. In this episode, Punjab’s Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO had met Union Power Minister Prahlad Joshi every day. In which Union Power Minister Prahlad Joshi has assured Punjab to provide coal regularly this Kharif season for paddy cultivation. In the meeting, Power Minister ETO underscored the need of Punjab for regular coal supply.

Assurance to Punjab amid ‘coal crisis’, state government asked for 14 rakes per day

Punjab has been assured of regular coal supply by the central government when there were power cuts due to shortage of coal across the country in the past. In fact, in the meeting, Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, raising the concerns of the state due to the prevailing coal situation across the country, urged the Center to devise an alternative mechanism to deal with power shortage. On this, the Punjab government has been assured of regular coal on behalf of the Center. Punjab Power Minister ETO said that we need 20 rakes of coal daily to meet the demand.

Paddy transplanting is starting from July 14, monsoon will knock in July

Paddy transplanting is going to start in Punjab from July 14 this year. Whereas according to weather forecasts, this year monsoon will knock in Punjab in July. In such a situation, this time there is a possibility of spending more amount of water in sowing/transplanting paddy. In view of this, the Punjab government had made many efforts to postpone the sowing/transplanting of paddy for a few days. Under which the Punjab government had planned to sow/transplant paddy in 4 phases, but due to the farmers’ agitation, the Punjab government has to start the paddy season from June 14. However, the Punjab government is also promoting direct sowing of paddy during the paddy season to save water and electricity. Under which the state government has decided to give 1500 rupees per acre to the farmers who do direct sowing of paddy.

Paddy Season and Coal

There is a very close relationship between the paddy season and coal. In fact, farmers need extra water during the paddy season. To fulfill this, farmers run tubewells for irrigation. that run on electricity. In such a situation, there is a need to generate additional power to the thermal plant to meet these power related needs. Thermal plants generate electricity from coal.

Electricity demand can reach 16 thousand MW in the season, 15 lakh tubewells will run

Paddy season has always been considered challenging for Punjab. Punjab needs additional power and water during the paddy season. To meet the power requirements, Punjab consumes additional coal. This year, in the midst of the coal crisis in the country, the Punjab government will import coal worth 14 thousand crores from abroad to meet the demand of electricity in the paddy season, such reports had also come to the fore. In fact, in the last paddy season, the power demand of Punjab had reached 15 thousand MW. This time it is estimated that 15 lakh tubewells can run in Punjab for irrigation during the paddy season. So it is being said that the demand for electricity can reach up to 16 thousand MW.