Chandigarh, May 14: During a high-level meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann urged the Union Government to intervene in the de-notification of hybrid paddy seeds to prevent procurement delays in the upcoming season. Speaking with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Mann explained that certain hybrids do not conform to federal quality standards due to low rice recovery rates. The Union Minister responded by promising a dedicated committee to investigate the issue and ensure that lifting operations remain unaffected.
The Chief Minister linked the state’s agricultural future to the conservation of water, stating that the government is aggressively moving toward crops like sunflower, bajra, and oilseeds. He affirmed that the Centre has agreed to work alongside Punjab to protect groundwater reserves, which have reached critical lows in the majority of the state’s blocks. “Diversification is essential not only for strengthening the rural economy but also for saving the rapidly depleting groundwater reserves in Punjab,” Mann affirmed during the dialogue.
Mann also raised the issue of representation, arguing that Punjab must have a seat on the Central Seed Committee to safeguard the interests of its farming community. He maintained that the powers of the State Level Seed Committee should remain intact under new legislation. The Chief Minister declared that the state’s farmers had already met the Centre’s target of 125 lakh metric tonnes of wheat, proving Punjab’s continued commitment to national food security.
To further increase productivity, the Punjab government requested the allocation of a wheat seed subsidy under the Krishionnati Yojana for the next financial year. Mann asserted that such financial support is vital for encouraging scientific farming practices and increasing rural incomes. He concluded by noting that while Punjab continues to lead in food production, federal cooperation on MSP for alternative crops is the only way to effectively pull the state out of its current environmental and water-related challenges.
