Shivraj Singh Chouhan Meets Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Discusses Crop Diversification And Farmer Welfare
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday met Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann in New Delhi, with discussions focusing on key agricultural issues including crop diversification, paddy milling, water conservation and sustainable farming practices.
During the meeting, Chouhan and the Punjab Chief Minister deliberated on challenges faced by Punjab’s agriculture sector and explored solutions to promote oilseed, pulse, cotton and horticulture missions in the state.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Chouhan said Punjab has played a historic role in ensuring the country’s food security and continues to be India’s “food bowl”. The Union Minister said the Centre and the Punjab government would work together to promote crop diversification, conserve water resources and improve soil health, adding that sustainable agriculture is key to long-term resilience in the sector.
Chouhan also stressed the importance of balanced fertiliser use and said there is no shortage of fertilisers in the country. He added that farmers should not face losses due to crop diversification and reiterated that the central government would extend support through various schemes related to cotton, pulses, oilseeds and horticulture.
Further, Chouhan assured that the Centre would continue supporting Punjab through agriculture, irrigation and farmer welfare schemes, and said the proposal to include a Punjab representative in the Central Seed Committee would be examined.
The Punjab CM said the state would meet its wheat procurement target of 125 lakh metric tonnes this season and continue to play a leading role in national foodgrain production.
