The North News
Chandigarh, March 28
Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Friday directed strict action against the sale of spurious cotton and unauthorized hybrid paddy seeds to safeguard farmers from fraudulent practices and financial losses. Khudian, accompanied by Administrative Secretary Agriculture Dr. Basant Garg, presided over a high-level video conference with Chief Agriculture Officers (CAOs) and Joint Directors at the Punjab Civil Secretariat. He warned that if unauthorized hybrid paddy seeds were found in any district, the respective CAO would be held accountable, with stringent action to follow.
He instructed CAOs to take decisive measures, including raids on suspected warehouses and shops, confiscation of illegal seed stocks, and legal proceedings against offenders. Special Nodal Officers will be appointed in border districts to monitor and prevent the influx of spurious seeds from neighboring states.
Emphasizing the risks posed by fraudulent seeds, Khudian urged agriculture officials to launch an awareness campaign to educate farmers about purchasing only certified seeds recommended by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) from authorized dealers.
During the review of the department’s quality control drive for FY 2024-25, Director Agriculture Jaswant Singh reported that 4,465 pesticide samples were collected, of which 116 were substandard, leading to 116 license cancellations and five FIRs. Similarly, 3,592 fertilizer samples were tested, with 96 failing quality standards, resulting in 102 license cancellations and eight FIRs. Additionally, 5,218 seed samples were collected, with 137 failing quality tests, prompting appropriate action.
To enhance departmental efficiency, the minister directed district chiefs to expedite vacancy submissions and promotion cases for their respective districts.
