Punseed employees oppose ‘merger’ with Punjab Agro

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 4

Fearing merger of the Punjab State Seeds Corporation (PUNSEED) with the Punjab Agro, the employees of former are a worried lot. They claim that such a move will be against the interests of the farmers of the state.

The employees fear that the much-anticipated merger will be announced soon.

The merger of the Punseed with Punjab Agro is not against the interests of the employees, but the farmers too as they will be left at the mercy of private seed sellers An employee of Punseed

The employees demanded that the control of the corporation should be handed over to an agriculture expert instead of an officer from the administrative services.

The government seed propagation agency, Punseed, was constituted with a purpose to provide better quality seeds to farmers at economical rates. The corporation is now claimed to be running into losses.

The employees of the department, however, claim that the downfall of the corporation started with the government appointing an IAS officer instead of an agricultural technocrat as the head of the corporation in 2020.

“The merger of the Punseed with the Punjab Agro is not against the interests of the employees, but the farmers too as they will be left at the mercy of private seed sellers,” said an employee.

The employees stated that they have written many letters to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as well as other senior officials of the department to revive Punseed.

They added that due to the wrong policies of the present management, the seed produced by the agency was lying unsold and it was being sold to private agencies without any regard for the government rules.

Corporation now ‘running into losses’

• The government seed propagation agency, Punseed, was constituted with a purpose to provide better quality seeds to farmers at economical rates. The corporation is now claimed to be running into losses
• The employees of the department, however, claim that the downfall of the corporation started with the government appointing an IAS officer instead of an agricultural technocrat as the head of the corporation in 2020
• The employees said due to the wrong policies of the present management, the seed produced by the agency was lying unsold and it was being sold to private agencies without any regard for the government rules.

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Tribune News Service

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