New Delhi, Jul 18 (IANS): Expressing concern over pest attacks, especially pink bollworm and whitefly, on the cotton crop, Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Thursday sought Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's intervention in speeding research on and approval to the next generation BG-3 cotton seeds.

Khudian, who called on the Union Minister here, apprised that current generation BG-2 cotton needed to be changed by an advanced seed to make this crop resistant to pest attacks.

He thanked Chouhan for granting approval to the state agricultural statistics authority as it would be a boon to strengthen the planning, monitoring, evaluating, research and development in the field of agriculture in the state. He also apprised the Union Minister about the agrarian concerns of the state, including the implementation of crop residue management (CRM) scheme, incentives to manage paddy straw, and consistent and continuous supply of fertilisers and subsidy on wheat seed replacement scheme.

Raising the major concern of the state regarding the CRM scheme, Khudian said the Central government has changed the funding pattern of the scheme to 60:40 (Centre: state) in 2023-24, which was earlier 100 per cent centrally sponsored. He urged the Union Minister to reinstate the 100 per cent central funding for the CRM scheme keeping in view the contribution of Punjab to national food security.

He also sought an incentive on per acre basis as compensation to farmers in lieu of the additional cost to be incurred on the management of paddy straw.