Punjab Agriculture Minister enforces biweekly progress reports for efficient scheme monitoring

In a bid to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural programs in Punjab, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian has directed all Chief Agriculture Officers (CAOs) to submit biweekly progress reports. This measure is aimed at ensuring close monitoring and timely evaluation of centrally and state-sponsored agricultural schemes to improve outcomes and address challenges promptly.

Chairing meetings at Kisan Bhawan over two days, the minister reviewed the progress of agricultural schemes and projects across all districts. He urged field staff to meet targets for sampling seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers to ensure quality inputs for farmers. Regular reporting, he said, would help identify challenges and successes, fostering transparency, accountability, and improved productivity.

As part of the department's quality control drive, targets for sampling were set at 6,100 seeds, 4,800 pesticides, and 3,700 fertilizers. So far, 5,082 seed samples, 2,867 pesticide samples, and 2,473 fertilizer samples have been collected. However, 141 seed samples failed quality tests, 81 pesticide samples were found misbranded, and 78 fertilizer samples were deemed sub-standard. Legal actions have been initiated against dealers and firms whose samples did not meet quality standards.

The Agriculture Minister also emphasized meticulous fund utilization, instructing CAOs to submit utilization certificates for allocated funds before the financial year’s end. The initiative underlines the Punjab Government’s commitment to supporting farmers with improved agricultural inputs and ensuring the success of development schemes.