Chandigarh
22 July 2024
DIVYA AZAD
Agriculture Minister Kanwar Pal inaugurated the Block Agriculture Office in Pratap Nagar today. The minister listened to the problems of the farmers present in the program. He was told that farmers face a shortage of fertilizers, and often, there is a fear of adulteration in pesticides or fake fertilizers and seeds. Farmers said shopkeepers usually force them to buy other unwanted materials and fertilizers. When they reach the Block Agriculture Office with these problems, the officers present call it a matter outside their jurisdiction and ask them to go to the office of the sub-division or district level. The farmers also talked about the need to adopt the latest technology to overcome the problem of increasing the cost of farming and decreasing land holdings.
The minister said that some high-level officials’ complaints and cases of connivance have also come to his attention. The state government has always adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. Due to this, in the last few days, such cases have been investigated, strict action has been taken, and steps have been taken to solve this problem.
The minister also participated in the Agriculture and Horticulture Officers Organization of Haryana program and assured them that they would complete some big announcements as soon as possible to improve the departments’ functioning. He said that the Haryana Agriculture Council will be formed on the lines of the Haryana Medical Council to control agricultural education and agriculture-related works. This will prove effective in curbing the increasing use of pesticides in Haryana and will relieve farmers of the rising cost of agriculture.
International-level high-tech labs will be built to test organic products’ soil, water, pesticides, fertilizers, and chemical residues. On the lines of the horticulture department, world-class technical excellence centers will be opened in the agriculture department, including sugarcane, cotton, oil seed, maize, millets, paddy, and agricultural engineering. High-tech ADO/HDO offices will be built, called plant clinics. Advanced information and facilities will be provided to village farmers. The government will reach out to every farmer.
He said that 438 vacant ADO posts will be filled soon. A system will be made, and if the farmer feels that the pesticide he purchased is fake or impure, it will be tested. A helpline number will be issued at the block level to solve problems like forcibly giving other items to the farmers along with fertilizer, not getting fertilizer on time, hoarding fake seeds, etc. A farmer will be able to tell his problem, and the responsibility of the block agriculture officers will be ensured to solve his problem. The Agriculture Development Officer and Block Agriculture Officer will verify the fertilizer, seeds, and medicines in their area so the farmers can quickly get fertilizer and seeds during the season.
The agriculture and horticulture officers from across the state present in the program welcomed the announcements of the Agriculture Minister and the head of the Agriculture Officers’ Association, Dr. Sushil Goyat, General Secretary Dr. Mukesh Bhankhar and the head of the Horticulture Officers’ Association, Dr. Manoj Kumar, Dr. Sangeet Singh, assured the Agriculture Minister that they would remain fully dedicated to the progress of farmers, agricultural environment protection and high-quality production in the state. Agriculture Development Officer Dr. Sunil Grewal thanked the Agriculture Minister, the farmers present, and the departmental officers.
