OVER 1– LAKH APPLICATIONS RECEIVED FOR SUBSIDISED WHEAT SEEDS, SAYS GURMEET SINGH KHUDIAN
Chandigarh, November 5: Punjab Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Department has received a total of 1,09,240 applications from farmers across the state for availing 50 per cent subsidy on the certified wheat seeds.
Disclosing this here today, Punjab Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian informed that 21,842 invoices of 8736.8 quintals seeds have already been uploaded on the department’s portal. The subsidy for wheat seeds is being provided for a maximum of 5 acres (2 quintals) area per farmer, besides giving priority to the SC, small (2.5 to 5 acres) and marginal farmers (up to 2.5 acres) in providing subsidized seeds. The certified wheat seeds are being provided at 50 per cent subsidy of total cost of seeds, or to a maximum of Rs. 1000 per quintal to farmers in the Rabi 2023-24 season. Farmers will pay only the amount left after reduction of the subsidy amount on the purchase of the wheat seeds.
Khudian further said that most of the applications (11,589) received from the Fazilka district, followed by Sangrur (9894), Bathinda (9282), Sri Muktsar Sahib (7261), Patiala (6205), Mansa (6139) and Faridkot (6047).
In order to provide best quality seeds to the farmers, close monitoring of wheat seeds is being ensured, he said while adding that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has always stood by its farmers and concerted steps are being taken to make the agriculture sector profitable.