Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is set to visit Ransih Kalan village in Punjab's Moga district on Thursday, November 27, 2025, to witness the remarkable transformation led by a Canada-returned sarpanch that has made this village a model of sustainable development.
From Canada to Punjab: The Sarpanch's Vision
Preet Inder Pal Singh, popularly known as Mintu sarpanch, returned from Canada in 2011 with a clear vision. The 36-year-old, who was first elected as sarpanch in 2013 at just 23 years old, has been instrumental in driving change in his village of 3,000 residents. "My only takeaway from Canada was that the law rules there, not individuals. I often wondered why Punjab couldn't be as clean and organized as Canada," says the three-time sarpanch.
Revolutionary Schemes That Transformed the Village
The village's journey began in 2013-14 with the elimination of open drains. With an estimated budget of Rs 7-8 crore but limited funds, the village formed a 51-member Vikas Committee and completed the project for Rs 5 crore through community funding and NRI donations. The sarpanch even issued a challenge: "If a resident spots a single open drain in the village, we will give a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh."
The stubble burning solution implemented in 2019 has been particularly impactful. The panchayat launched a direct bank transfer scheme offering Rs 500 per acre to farmers who didn't burn stubble. Additionally, the Uttam Kisan Sewa Society created a bank of stubble management machines including Happy Seeders, rotavators, mulchers, and ploughers.
Six years later, the village has witnessed zero cases of stubble burning. Farmer Jagsir Singh, who owns a 20-acre farm, stated, "After the panchayat's 2019 scheme, I encouraged other farmers to stop burning stubble too. Now, I sow wheat using the Happy Seeder."
Comprehensive Environmental Initiatives
The village boasts its own natural sewage treatment plant set up in 2014 for Rs 50 lakh. The treated water now irrigates at least 100 acres of farmland. Two dirty ponds have been transformed into pristine lakes at a cost of Rs 1 crore, serving both as recreational spots and rainwater harvesting systems.
A unique dinosaur statue installed in the middle of a lake serves as a powerful reminder to villagers. "It is a reminder that they too will go extinct like dinosaurs if they won't save water," explains sarpanch Mintu.
Other innovative schemes include:
- 'Kooda Leyao, Paisa Kamao': Started in 2024, where ragpickers earn money from selling garbage and residents get sugar/jaggery equivalent to plastic waste weight
- Library incentive program: Cash rewards for residents who pass tests after reading books from Maharaja Ranjit Singh Library
- Vaatavaran Bachao, Paise Kamao: Rs 100 to each villager to grow and maintain fruit saplings
- Nasha Mukti scheme: 65 drug addicts have completed rehabilitation with cash rewards of Rs 11,000 each
Agricultural Transformation and Benefits
Farmers in Ransih Kalan have significantly reduced their use of fertilizers, including urea and DAP, by nearly 30%. Gopal Singh and his brothers, who own a 45-acre farm, reported cutting their DAP use by half. "Earlier, we used at least four sacks of fertilizer. We are down to half of that now," says Gopal Singh.
To promote crop diversification and break the wheat-paddy cycle, the panchayat started providing cotton and maize seeds free of cost to farmers last year.
Moga Deputy Commissioner Sagar Setia acknowledges the village's achievements, stating that "Ransih Kalan was managed by a very pro-active panchayat. Other panchayats too should draw inspiration from the village to end stubble burning, among other issues."
The village's transformation, achieved with 80% self-funding and only 20% government support, stands as a testament to community-driven development that has now caught the attention of the Union Agriculture Minister.
