Chandigarh, August 23:
The state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will provide quality wheat seed, fertilizers and medicines to the farmers at reasonable prices. Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal after a high-level meeting with PUNSEED, Punjab Agro and Agriculture Department officials here today sharing this information said that even a single grain of duplicate wheat seed will not be allowed to be sold in the market.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the base of our agriculture is seeds, so the Punjab government has taken a big initiative to provide quality seeds to the farmers at a reasonable price to save our farmers from the loot in the hands of private duplicate seed sellers. The Agriculture Minister said that the Punjab government is making a concrete fool proof policy to make seeds available to the farmers through the government agencies PUNSEED, National Seed Corporation etc. These seeds will be made available to the farmers only through recognized dealers. Seeds will be provided to farmers without delay and the system for subsidy on seeds will be further simplified.
The Minister asked the officials to liaise with the National Seed Corporation to meet the shortage of seeds if need arises. Along with this, he issued strict directions to the officials to timely provide quality seed fertilizers and medicines to the farmers. ‘A solid plan should be prepared and presented by next week so that the farmers do not face any kind of hardship’, Dhaliwal directed the officials.
Prominent present in the meeting included Secretary Agriculture Department Arshdeep Singh Thind, MD PUNSEED Manjit Singh Sidhu, Director Agriculture Department Gurvinder Singh, besides officials of PUNSEED and Punjab Agro were also present.