Punjab Horticulture Minister S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, on Thursday, assured the representatives of the Punjab Potato Grower Association of the state of all possible assistance. Presiding over a meeting in his office here at the Punjab Civil Secretariat, the Cabinet Minister, sympathetically responded to the main demand of providing subsidy on potato diggers, and directed Mrs. Shailender Kaur, Director, Horticulture, to formulate a comprehensive scheme under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
Emphasizing the importance of embracing cutting-edge technology, the Cabinet Minister mandated the consideration of latest and efficient methods for potato digging. Considering another demand of the association of setting up of Disease Testing Lab at the Dhogri Indo Dutch Centre for Excellence for potatoes, S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra tasked the Director Horticulture to thoroughly examine the feasibility of this proposition. The Director apprised the Horticulture Minister that a lab is coming up at this Centre.
During the deliberations, the potato growers informed that the revenue generated is one-third of the total acreage in the economy through potato seeds. The potato growers asked for the notification of seed potato areas, which was agreed by the Cabinet Minister. He mentioned that a draft proposal would be sent to prevent the circulation of spurious seed potatoes, causing huge loss to Seed potato.