Punjab Cabinet approves bill to make sale of fake seeds non-bailable offence

The North News

Chandigarh, July 25

In a landmark decision aimed at protecting farmers, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has approved the introduction of The Seeds (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2025, making the sale of spurious seeds a non-bailable and cognizable offence. The bill, which seeks to amend the long-unchanged Section 19 of the Seeds Act 1966, proposes stringent penalties for companies and individuals found guilty of selling fake seeds. First-time corporate offenders will face 1–2 years’ imprisonment and fines ranging from ₹5 to ₹10 lakh, while repeat offenders may be penalised with 2–3 years in jail and up to ₹50 lakh in fines. Dealers and individuals face 6 months to 2 years’ imprisonment and fines from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh.

The Chief Minister’s Office stated that the bill aims to ensure high-quality seed supply and restore farmer confidence in the agricultural input system.

Major decisions from the Cabinet meeting:

• Industrial Land Access Simplified:
  The Cabinet approved a formal mechanism to allot land parcels for industries through digital land pooling, e-auctions, and a bi-annual investor facilitation system, especially for investments above ₹200 crore.
• Group D Age Limit Raised:
  To bring parity with other government jobs, the upper age limit for Group D recruitment has been increased from 35 to 37 years, and the minimum education qualification upgraded from ‘Middle’ to Matriculation.
• One-Time Loan Settlement for Industrialists:
  A One-Time Settlement Scheme was introduced for loan disputes under interest-free loans and industrial support schemes. Eligible firms must opt in within 180 days of public notification.
• Faster Procurement for Food Storage Covers:
  The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval for reducing bid timelines for procuring 46,000 LDPE black polythene covers for Rabi Marketing Season 2025-26, vital for storing wheat worth ₹30,000 crore.
• District Mineral Foundation Rules Updated:
  Punjab’s DMF rules were revised to align with the Centre’s PMKKKY 2024 guidelines, focusing on better transparency, five-year planning, and limiting fund misuse.
• Temple Committee Changes in Patiala:
  Amendments were approved to allow the Chief Minister to nominate members of the Shri Kali Devi Ji/Shri Raj Rajeshwari Ji Temple Advisory Committee, along with changes in financial powers.
• VAT Tribunal Benefits Enhanced:
  The Punjab VAT Rules, 2005 were amended, granting House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Dearness Allowance (DA) to Tribunal members, in line with other state officers.
• Food Grains Transport Policy 2025:
  The Cabinet approved a new Food Grains Transportation and Labour Policy, under which allocation of transport contracts will be made through transparent online tenders.
• Veterinary Staff Extension Approved:
  Services of 479 Veterinary Pharmacists and 472 Safai Sewaks posted at 582 veterinary hospitals across Punjab have been extended from April 2025 to March 2026.