To ensure quality seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides for the farmers, the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department has been conducting massive checking drive of shops selling seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers since June 5 under mission Tandrust Punjab.Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Dr. Baldev Singh said that the checking teams were led by joint director (Agriculture Inputs) Dr. Jagtar Singh Brar and have so far collected 61 samples of fertilizers, 203 seeds’ and 107 pesticides’ samples in the checking drive.Singh added that as per preliminary reports, three samples of fertilizers, 13 of pesticides and 4 of the seeds have failed the purity test.He said that the department has issued show-cause notices to the concern dealers and manufacturers and departmental action is also being taken against them.CAO also sought help from the farmers in this drive to make it a huge success in Ludhiana.He also asked the all dealers of fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides to give original copy of bills to the farmers.He also said that for better residue management in the fields with the help of machinery and equipment in paddy season 2018-19, the state government has been offering 50 percent subsidy on paddy straw choppers, mulchers, sub-soilers, Happy Seeder, Super Straw Management System, Reversible Mould Board Ploughs and other implements.He asked the farmers to take benefit of the scheme. He appealed the interested farmers to submit applications by June 29 in offices of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department.