CHANDIGARH: In a historic decision, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday gave its consent to introduce The Seeds (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2025 to make sale of spurious seeds a non bailable offence.
A decision to this effect was taken by the Council of Ministers in its meeting held here under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister today.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the Cabinet gave its consent to introduce The Seeds (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2025 to ensure supply of high quality seeds to the farmers of Punjab. There has been no amendment in Section 19 of the Seeds Act 1966 since inception due to which the fines and penalties have no deterrence. So the Cabinet gave the nod to enact a Bill to amend the Seeds act and insert Section 19A for contravention of Section 7 of Seeds Act (Regulation of sales of seeds of notified kinds or varieties), enhancing the fine and penalty, making it cognizable and non-bailable.
As per the provision, the first offence by the company will invite punishment of one to two years and fine of Rs 5 to 10 lakh whereas punishment of two to three years and fine of Rs 10 to 50 lakh for repeated offence. Similar misdeed by Dealer/ Person will invite punishment of 6 months to one year and fine of Rs 1 to 5 lakh for first offence and a term of 1 to 2 yrs and fine of Rs 5 to 10 lakh for repeated offence. Pertinently, earlier, fine was Rs 500 for first offence and for repeated offence fine was Rs 1000 and term upto 6 months.