Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh  approved Wheat Seed Subsidy Policy-2020-21 of the Agriculture Department to provide certified wheat seed at 50 per cent subsidy to farmers in the Rabi season.

A total of 1.85 lakh quintals of certified seed, with Rs 18.50 crore worth of subsidy, will directly benefit approximately 2.5 lakh farmers under the policy.

Punjab Chief Minister directed the Department to give priority for providing subsidized seeds to small and marginal farmers. The subsidy should be given only to eligible farmers and subsidy amount should be transferred directly to the accounts of beneficiary farmers, he said.

Directing ACS (Development) Anirudh Tewari to issue detailed instructions to the officers/staff of the Agriculture Department to closely monitor the seeds being sold in their respective area, Captain Amarinder asked him to ensure that only quality seeds reach to the farmers. If any complaint is received in this regard or any malpractice detected, then the concerned officers/employees of the seed agencies, as well as the district and block level Agriculture officers would be considered to be directly responsible, warned the Chief Minister.

Farmers interested in availing the subsidy can submit their applications at the offices of Agriculture Department in their areas from November 1.

Meanwhile, ACS (Development) said the Agriculture Department has ensured all requisite arrangements to provide wheat seed at subsidized rates to the farmers. Subsidy equaling 50 per cent of total cost of seeds, or to a maximum of Rs.1,000 per quintal, will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of applicant farmers and subsidy on wheat seed will be provided for maximum of 5 acre area.

Pertinently, during Rabi season 2020-21, wheat is expected to be cultivated over an area of about 35 lakh hectares in the state.