Chandigarh 26 June 2025 : Cracking down on underperforming officials/employees, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian has directed departmental action against districts lagging in the quality control campaign. Weekly reviews will also be conducted to ensure accountability and further improvements.
Khudian, along with Agriculture Department’s Administrative Secretary Dr. Basant Garg, reviewed the ongoing projects, schemes, and Kharif season activities of the department today.
While reviewing the results of the quality control campaign, the Agriculture Minister took serious note of the districts falling short of targets and showing poor performance. He directed the Director of Agriculture to initiate departmental proceedings against defaulting officials and to ensure weekly reviews of the agricultural material sampling process.
Gurmeet Singh Khudian clearly stated that the Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, will not tolerate any laxity in matters related to quality control. Strict action will be taken against officials/employees found guilty. He emphasized that the state government is committed to protecting the interests of farmers.
To maintain quality control, Dr. Basant Garg instructed the Director of Agriculture to ensure proper sampling of agricultural products as per the targets assigned to each district. He stressed the need for continuous monitoring to maintain quality standards through timely interventions and corrective measures.
Director of the Department S. Jaswant Singh informed the Agriculture Minister that out of 826 pesticide samples, 16 were found to be falsely branded. Similarly, out of 737 fertilizer samples, 11 were of substandard quality, leading to the registration of 2 FIRs. Additionally, 2,113 seed samples were tested, of which 49 failed to meet quality standards. He mentioned that these samples were collected from April 1, 2025, to date, and appropriate action has been initiated against the guilty dealers and firms.
The Director further informed that five flying squad teams have been formed by the Agriculture Department to protect farmers’ interests and ensure the supply of high-quality agricultural materials. During the meeting, the ongoing sowing activities for Kharif crops in the state were also reviewed.
Summary: The Punjab government has directed strict action against certain officials, with large-scale disciplinary measures expected to be taken in the coming days.