category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU Chandigarh Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Friday directed all the Chief Agriculture Officers of the state to extend maximum help to the flood-affected farmers, and ensure that no farmer affected by floods should face any hassle in getting the benefit of free paddy saplings being provided by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led state government. The Agriculture Minister was chairing a state-level meeting of all the Chief Agriculture Officers of the state at Kisan Bhawan. He said that the state government has been striving hard to aid farmers facing this natural calamity as per the commitment of Chief Minister S Bhagwant Mann, as a part of which Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has already set up a control room to provide paddy saplings free of cost to affected farmers. Any farmer, whose crop has been damaged by the floods in the state, can dial 77106-65725 from 8 am to 9.30 pm to avail free paddy saplings, he added. He said that the state government is committed to providing paddy saplings where replantation is required due to floods. The Agriculture Minister also directed the Chief Agriculture Officers to ensure that the best quality of seeds and fertilisers be made available to all the farmers. If anyone is found compromising with the quality of seeds or fertilisers, strict action will be taken against the violator, he warned. Underlining the steps being taken for the welfare of farmers, Special Chief Secretary Agriculture Department, Mr KAP Sinha apprised the Cabinet Minister that the department has formed teams for checking of spurious seeds and fertilisers and strict action will be initiated against the violators. Secretary Agriculture Mr Arshdeep Singh Thind, Director Agriculture Mr Gurvinder Singh, and other senior officials of the Agriculture department were also present in the meeting. (editor dailyworld.in)