Minister Gurmeet Singh : In a strategic effort to improve the effectiveness of agricultural schemes and programs in the state, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, on Tuesday, instructed all Chief Agriculture Officers (CAOs) to submit biweekly progress reports. This initiative aims to closely monitor and evaluate ongoing centrally and state-sponsored agricultural schemes, enabling timely interventions and improvements.
During a series of meetings with CAOs at Kisan Bhawan, Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian assessed the status of current schemes and projects in seven districts on Monday. The remaining district officers were invited today to review the progress in their respective districts.
He also instructed the field staff to meet the targets for sampling seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers to ensure the quality of agricultural inputs for the state’s farmers. He emphasized the significance of regular reporting to identify challenges and successes within the department. By introducing a biweekly reporting system, the state government aims to improve transparency and accountability, leading to enhanced productivity and better support for farmers across the state.
As part of the department’s quality control drive, Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian stated that targets for sampling seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers were set at 6100, 4800, and 3700, respectively. So far, 5082 seed samples, 2867 pesticide samples, and 2473 fertilizer samples have been collected. He mentioned that 141 seed samples failed the quality test, 81 pesticide samples were found to be misbranded, and 78 fertilizer samples were sub-standard. The department has taken legal action against the dealers and firms whose samples did not meet quality standards.
During the review of the ongoing centrally and state-sponsored agricultural schemes, the Agriculture Minister instructed the CAOs to use the funds carefully and ensure that utilization certificates are submitted to the appropriate authorities before the close of the financial year.