Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Jattvibeday announced a Rs 50-crore scheme to provide certified wheat seeds recommended by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to farmers at subsidised rates. The initiative aims to improve seed quality and reduce farmers’ financial burden, with assistance capped at Rs 2,000 per hectare.Khudian said certified wheat seeds priced at Rs 4,250 per quintal would be available for Rs 2,250 per quintal after an upfront subsidy of Rs 2,000 per quintal. The assistance will be limited to 50 per cent of the seed cost or Rs 2,000 per hectare, whichever is lower.The Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has projected district-wise requirements to cover 2,42,218 beneficiaries, with a proposed financial outlay of Rs 50 crore. The scheme will be implemented under the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) seed component of the Krishonnati Yojana.As a quality-control measure, Khudian said the subsidy would apply only to certified wheat varieties recommended by PAU, Ludhiana, and notified by the ICAR or the state government. Eligible varieties must be no more than 10 years old.He added that nodal agencies responsible for seed multiplication would be held accountable for maintaining quality. Any complaints regarding seed quality would be addressed by the concerned agency.