By SK.Vyas:
Jalandhar, November 23- The Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department has successfully distributed 7584 quintals of high yielding varieties of wheat seeds to the food growers of the flood-affected areas in the district.
Divulging the details, the Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said that this decision of distributing wheat seed free of cost to them was taken by the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to extend a helping hand to the farmers so that they could sow the crop in this season.
He said that the distribution of wheat seed was started on October 30 in Shahkot and the department had set up the distribution centres in affected areas including Shahkot, Phillaur and Nakodar.
Sharma said that the total affected area was 22515-acre as per the revenue department and total beneficiaries were 8417 to whom Agriculture and Farmers’ welfare department had decided to distribute 9006-quintal wheat seed to the farmers of these areas.
He said that in Shahkot, the affected area was 18293-acre and 7317.2 quintal wheat seed was to be distributed among the affected farmers.
Sharma told till to date, the 16705-acre area had been covered and 6682.15 quintal wheat seed had been distributed so far.
In Nakodar, the affected area was 2304-Acre and around 921.6 quintal wheat seed was kept for the distribution and till to date, the 1100-acre area had been covered and the 430-quintal wheat seed has been distributed.
Similarly, out of 1918 Acre affected area in Phillaur, the around 1200-acre area had already successfully covered and 472 quintal wheat seed out of 767 quintals had been distributed already.
He said that the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department had already directed to hold a meeting with the village sarpanchs to apprise the affected farmers so that the distribution work can be completed within this month.
He appealed the affected farmers to contact the distribution centre or agriculture department for wheat seeds as soon as possible.
He said that the state government was fully sensitive towards the plight of the farmers in the marooned villages and every sort of help would be extended to them.
Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Nazar Singh said that eight distribution centres were set up in the district and duties of the officers have also been fixed to ensure speedy distribution of the seeds.