Self-sufficiency in wheat to increase country’s prestige: minister

LAHORE:Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi Monday said wheat is our strategic crop and self-sufficiency in it will increase country's prestige. Addressing a grow more wheat campaign, the minister said: "If we increase the production by 4 to 5 maunds per acre, then we can meet the food needs of the country." He said under national plan to increase wheat production, subsidies were being provided to farmers to increase wheat production per acre at a cost of Rs12.59 billion. He said all resources were being utilised to meet 22 million metric tonnes wheat target.

DC inspectS polio drive: Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali visited various areas of the City including Anarkali, Dhobi Mandi and Union Council-72 on Monday and checked working of the anti-polio teams on the first day of the week-long polio vaccination drive.

The anti-polio campaign in the provincial capital started on Nov 28. Over two million children under the age of five years would be administered polio vaccine in the City. The deputy commissioner checked tele-sheets and fingerprints of children. He talked to parents and elders of the area. He also reviewed the attendance of staff and related activities and evaluated performance of the teams. The DC directed the field workers to utilise all available resources to achieve the target, adding that those children who were left should be given priority the next day for vaccination.