Paddy harvesting on, Khudian’s home dist sans Chief Agri Officer

Despite harvesting of paddy underway and the authorities taking steps to curb farm fires, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian’s home district, Muktsar, has been without a Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) for around 15 days. Strangely, no official has been given an additional charge as well.

The previous CAO, Karanjit Singh, who was promoted as a Joint Director, took charge at the head office in Chandigarh on October 3.

A Deputy Director (Cotton) is posted in Muktsar, who looks after the cotton crop in eight districts, but he too has not been given the additional charge of the CAO, raising many eyebrows.

Sources said several important files, including those related to subsidies for stubble management machinery, verification of machines, subsidies on cotton seed and new or existing pesticide dealer licences were pending for approval. Even high-level meetings, including video-conferencing with the Chief Secretary, was being attended by junior officers.

Dr Jaswant Singh, Director, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said, “The Chief Agriculture Officer was promoted recently. We are likely to appoint an officer of the Deputy Director-rank in Muktsar within the next two days.”

Sources said additional charge had been always given to officers from neighbouring districts in the past.