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Punjab govt forms 11-member committee to finalise state’s agri policy
Punjab agriculture minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Tuesday announced that the state government will launch an agricultural policy by March 31.
Punjab agriculture minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Tuesday announced that the state government will launch an agricultural policy by March 31. He said this while announcing an 11-member committee of experts to give a final shape to the policy.
Addressing media persons here, Dhaliwal announced names of members of the committee including secretary (agriculture) Rahul Tiwari; chairman farmers commission Sukhpal Singh; vice-chancellor Punjab Agricultural University Dr SS Gosal; vice-chancellor of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Inderjit Singh, economist Sucha Singh Gill; former vice-chancellor of Punjabi University BS Ghuman; former director of the Department of Horticulture Gurkanwal Singh; adviser Punjab Water Control and Development Authority Rajesh Vashisht, former director agriculture Punjab Balwinder Singh Sidhu, president PAU; Kisan Club Amarinder Singh and chairperson Punseed Mahinder Singh Sidhu.
According to Dhaliwal, the state government will also organise ‘sarkar-kisan milni’ (meeting) at PAU, Ludhiana on February 12 to take feedback and suggestions from the farmers for the proposed policy. Dhaliwal said 200 farmers from each district will participate in the milni program and they will be asked to give feedback in writing on issues to be addressed in the agriculture policy.
The agriculture minister said that the Punjab government has been drafting the new agricultural policy keeping in mind the natural resources of the state such as ground water, soil health and geographical conditions.
He said that in order to improve the economic condition of farmers in the new agricultural policy, special attention will be given to aspects such as valuation of agricultural produce, export and agricultural diversification. The policy will also include a proposal to adopt basmati as a substitute for parmal paddy and promote basmati exports.
Dhaliwal emphasised that Punjab has been facing an environmental and health crisis, in which fertile land has been turning into non-fertile land and the amount of poison in ground water is increasing day by day.
Dhaliwal further said that under the new agricultural policy, the surplus water of the rivers is being considered to be delivered to every farm in Punjab.
Dhaliwal also released the seed production portal and app, providing an online facility to the farmers. He said that with help of this app, farmers of the state will be able to get online information about the availability and varieties of seeds. He said that the purpose of this app is to make the Punjab State Seed Certification Organization online and paperless and to implement the annual calendar for seed certification. He said that through this app, seed tracking, quality authentication, seeds complete information regarding the production, certification and sampling will be available.
Secretary agriculture Arshdeep Singh Thind and director Gurwinder Singh were also present.
