The Punjab Agriculture Minister Jathedar Tota Singh today gave a call for Second Green Revolution in the State to make Punjab number one state in the country in the production of Vegetable, Fruits and Flowers. Presiding over a meeting of the Horticulture department Minister asked the officials to strengthen extension network of the department to reach out tothe farmers to facilitate them to increase production and focus on persification of crops to bring out the farmers from the vicious circle of traditional crops.The Minister said that the officials should work on to improve the quality of varieties of Vegetables, Fruits and flowers which could be exported and also encourage farmers to grow such varieties. He said that the officials should provide scientific assistance to make these crops profitable to the farmers. He also asked the officials to draft farmer friendly proposals which would be approved at the government level without any delay.
Jathedar Tota Singh said that besides providing subsidies under National Horticulture Mission to the farmers, the state horticulture department should use innovative ways to provide training to encourage farmers for persified agriculture. He said that department should make practical illustrations in the fields of farmers to aware them to use new scientific techniques to increase quality production of crops with low cost.He asked the department officials to use new mediums to make people aware about persified farming. The Minister asked officials to provide technical support and advice to farmers who want to make a Polly and Net house. He said that such farmers should be provided all information to protect Polly houses and net houses from strong winds.
Jathedar Tota Singh said that all efforts are being done to establish more food processing units in the state. He said that Punjab Government in the leadership of Chief Minister S. Parkash Singh Badal has taken up the matter with the NDA led union government for setting up food processing units in the state which are already showing positive results.Others prominent present in the meeting Mr. Suresh Kumar included Financial Commissioner Development, Mr. Balwinder Singh Sidhu Commissioner Agriculture, Mr. Arvinder Singh Bains MD Warehousing, Dr. Lajvinder Singh Brar Director Horticulture, Dr. Gurkanwal Singh Joint Director Horticulture Punjab and district horticulture officers.