New Delhi, May 13
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday called upon Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and sought his intervention for the de-notification of certain hybrid paddy seeds to ensure smooth procurement and lifting operations in Punjab during the forthcoming Kharif season, while raising a series of critical issues concerning the state’s farmers before the Centre.
During the crucial meeting in Delhi, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann secured assurances on uninterrupted fertilizer supply and groundwater conservation, demanded Punjab’s representation in the Central Seed Committee, and pressed for wheat seed subsidy allocation for 2026-27. Emphasising that Punjab’s farmers had successfully achieved the Centre’s target of 125 lakh metric tonnes of wheat production,
Mann asserted that the Punjab Government is now aggressively promoting crop diversification through maize, pulses, oilseeds, sunflower and bajra to reduce dependence on paddy cultivation, conserve rapidly depleting groundwater reserves and pull Punjab out of the dangerous dark zone crisis threatening the state’s agrarian future.
During the meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister, Mann also strongly pitched for Punjab’s representation in the Central Seed Committee under the proposed Seed Bill 2025 and sought greater support from the Centre for crop diversification and agricultural reforms in the state.
The Chief Minister informed Chouhan that though Punjab accounts for merely 2% of the country’s population, it contributes around 185 LMT of rice and 125 LMT of wheat annually, due to which Punjab is known as the food bowl of the country. Stressing the importance of uninterrupted supply for both Kharif and Rabi crops, Mann asserted that it is imperative for ensuring the nation’s food security.
Raising the issue of the Seed Bill 2025, Mann said, “Punjab, being an agrarian state with a major contribution towards the national food pool, must have adequate representation in the Central Seed Committee.” He also stressed that the existing role and powers of the State Level Seed Committee should remain unchanged to safeguard the interests of farmers and the agriculture sector in Punjab.
