LAHORE:Minister for Industry, Trade, and Energy SM Tanveer has emphasised the vital role of the agricultural sector in economy and stressed the need to increase investment in this sector. The taskforce on agriculture held its second meeting on Friday at the civil secretariat under the chair of Minister for Industry, Trade, and Energy SM Tanveer.The meeting was attended by the chief secretary, agriculture secretary, special secretary (agriculture), senior officials from the agriculture dept., and agricultural experts. During the meeting, several programmes were in principle approved to increase per-acre productivity. A soil health programme will be initiated to enhance land fertility, providing gypsum to farmers at subsidised rates. Farmers will also receive agricultural implements at reduced prices. The watercourses will be widened, and special attention will be given to the construction of small dams and the vast expanse of desolate Thal desert will be colonised to bring new areas under cultivation. Similarly, green silos and cold chain development will be prioritized. The meeting decided that special measures will be taken to boost the production of crops such as cotton, wheat, sugarcane, soybean, oilseeds, and pulses. Minister SM Tanveer emphasised the vital role of the agricultural sector in the economy and stressed the need to increase investment in this sector. The caretaker government is actively taking practical steps to promote agriculture, he added and formed a committee to finalise budget proposals related to agriculture.