Union Agri Min to soon visit Punjab to assess crop damage due to flood, provide central assistance

New Delhi, Sep 1 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will soon visit Punjab to assess the crop damage due to floods in some parts of the state and provide all possible assistance from the Centre.

According to an official statement, the minister held a meeting to review the rainfall situation in various states and held detailed discussions with officials regarding the floods in parts of Punjab and their impact on crops.

During the meeting, Chouhan said, "The farmers of Punjab, who were affected by floods, should not worry as the Central Government stands firmly with the affected farmers in this hour of natural calamity." The minister said he would visit the flood-affected areas of Punjab to take stock of the situation. He will meet the distressed farmers to ensure all possible assistance.

The meeting was attended by Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi along with other senior officials. They informed that the Kharif sowing area has shown encouraging growth compared to last year.

Chouhan reviewed progress in horticulture along with food grain crops. He sought details on the production and prices of potatoes, onions, and tomatoes.

"Officials briefed him on rainfall across states and the status of reservoirs, informing that many states received above-average rainfall this year, which is beneficial for crops," the statement said.

Chouhan directed officials to encourage farmers to adopt integrated farming, including horticulture along with food grain crops, for better income. PTI MJH MJH SHW