Expressing deep concern over pest attacks, especially pink bollworm and whitefly attack on cotton crop, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Thursday sought Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s personal intervention in speeding research and approval to the Next Generation BG-3 cotton seeds. 

Khudian, who called on the Union Agriculture Minister Chouhan at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi, apprised that current generation BG-2 cotton need to be changed by an advanced seed to make this crop resistant to pest attacks.  

Meanwhile, Khudian thanked Chouhan for granting approval to the State Agricultural Statistics Authority (SASA) as this Authority would be a boon to strengthen the planning, monitoring, evaluating, research, and development in the field of agriculture in the state.  

Punjab Agriculture Minister also apprised the Union Minister about the state’s agrarian concerns, including implementation of Crop Residue Management (CRM) scheme, release of funds under RKVY, incentives to manage paddy straw and consistent and continuous supply of fertilizers and subsidy on wheat seed replacement scheme.  

Raising the state’s major concern regarding the CRM scheme, Khudian said that the Central Government has changed the funding pattern of CRM scheme to 60:40 (Centre:State) in FY 2023-24, which was earlier 100 per cent centrally sponsored. He urged the Union Minister to reinstate the 100 percent central funding for the CRM scheme keeping in view the contribution of Punjab to national food security.  

He also sought incentive on a per acre basis as compensation to farmers in lieu of the additional cost to be incurred on management of paddy straw.  

Also bringing into his notice that shortage of phosphatic fertilizers generally occurs during the Rabi season, Khudian appealed him to direct the concerned authorities to ensure the continuous supply of the same in this season.  

Adding further, Khudian said that about Rs 20 crore are being invested annually under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) scheme as per the ICAR policy to replace 33 percent seed every year. “However, the Gol has stopped this assistance on wheat seed, which need to be continued for the larger interest of feeding the ever-increasing population of the country,” he Punjab Agriculture Minister, who was accompanied by the state’s Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture) KAP Sinha, Agriculture Director Jaswant Singh, and other senior officials of the department.