North News
New Delhi, January 21
Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian announced on Tuesday that all Chief Agriculture Officers (CAOs) in the state will now be required to submit biweekly progress reports. The initiative is aimed at improving the monitoring and evaluation of ongoing agricultural schemes, both centrally and state-sponsored, ensuring prompt intervention where necessary. Khudian, who chaired meetings with CAOs at Kisan Bhawan, reviewed the status of agricultural projects in seven districts and directed officers from other districts to report on their respective schemes. He emphasized the need for timely updates to identify challenges and successes, which will enable more effective decision-making.
The Minister also instructed the field staff to meet targets for seed, pesticide, and fertilizer sampling to maintain quality control. Under the department’s quality control drive, targets have been set for 6100 seed samples, 4800 pesticide samples, and 3700 fertilizer samples. To date, 5082 seed samples, 2867 pesticide samples, and 2473 fertilizer samples have been drawn, with legal actions underway against firms that failed quality checks. Khudian also urged CAOs to carefully manage allocated funds and submit utilization certificates to ensure full utilization by the end of the financial year. This move aims to increase transparency and accountability, ultimately supporting improved agricultural productivity in the state.
