Punjab Kharif Maize Diversification Scheme

Why it matters

Pays farmers Rs 17,500 per hectare to switch land from water-guzzling paddy to maize, helping save groundwater while keeping farm income steady.

What you get

Expanded from 6 to 16 districts for the 2026-27 Kharif season, this scheme offers farmers a direct incentive of Rs 17,500 per hectare to grow maize instead of paddy on land that previously grew paddy, targeting around 20,000 hectares of diversification. Covered districts include Amritsar, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Moga, Patiala, Pathankot, Rupnagar, Sangrur, SAS Nagar (Mohali), SBS Nagar and Tarn Taran. Applications and verification are digitised through the agrimachinerypb.com portal; farmers must submit a J-form proving paddy cultivation in the previous season and complete geo-tagging of the plot being switched to maize, ensuring the incentive only rewards genuine diversification away from paddy.

Eligibility criteria

• Farmer in one of the 16 notified districts who grew paddy on the plot in the previous season
• Switching the same plot to Kharif maize in the current season
• Valid J-form for prior paddy cultivation and willingness to geo-tag the plot

How to apply

1. 1

   Apply on the agrimachinerypb.com portal for the diversification incentive

2. 2

   Submit J-form proving previous-season paddy cultivation

3. 3

   Complete plot geo-tagging for verification

4. 4

   Incentive credited via DBT after maize sowing verification

Documents required

• J-form (proof of prior paddy cultivation)
• Land record
• Aadhaar-linked bank account
• Geo-tagging photos/coordinates of the plot