Farmers to get Rs300b loans, says minister

LAHORE:Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif's "Transforming Punjab Agriculture" plan of more than Rs400 billion will prove to be a game changer for farmers and usher a new era of agricultural prosperity in Punjab, said Minister for Agriculture Ashiq Hussain Kirmani.

He was speaking in a meeting at Agriculture House, here Monday where timeline of the “Transforming Punjab Agriculture” Plan was reviewed and finalised. The Minister for Agriculture said that all arrangements have been completed to provide Rs300 billion interest-free loans to the farmers.

He said that under this flagship programme, interest-free loans will be provided to 5 lakh farmers under the joint venture of Punjab Agriculture Department and Bank of the Punjab. To ensure the transparency of this scheme, the distribution of Nawaz Sharif Kissan Card to farmers likely to start from August 14 this year.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif will be the chief guest of the ceremony and its activation will start from October 1. He maintained 7,000 tube wells will be transferred to solar system across the province.

In addition, 5,000 super seeders and 2,000 rice shredders will be provided to farmers on 60 percent subsidy. 7,300 water courses will be lined and improved at a cost of 80 billion rupees in the province.

He said that 2 billion rupees will be spent on the restructuring of the agriculture extension wing of Punjab Agriculture Department. The minister endorsed that 500 agricultural graduates will be recruited on contract basis to provide better service facilities to the farmers.

A total of 25,000 agricultural implements will be provided to the farmers. Under the Agriculture Production Echo-system Credit/Finance, Agri Inputs, Marketing and Crop Productivity will be increased gradually.

He said that an amount of 1.25 billion rupees has been earmarked for the establishment of model agriculture centers and government realised the need to concentrate on hi-tech mechanism facility for farmers.

Ashiq Hussain Kirmani added that the Punjab government is fully implementing effective legislation against those who manufacture adulterated pesticides and fertilisers and severe actions are being taken against those elements. On this occasion, Secretary Agriculture, Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said that institutional reforms are being introduced under the Transforming Punjab Agriculture Programme. State-of-the-art research centers are being established to increase the quality and production of cotton, wheat and rice. Agricultural Legislation is being enacted to provide pesticides at fixed prices.

In the meeting, Special Secretary Agri-Marketing Agriculture Muhammad Shahshanshah Faisal Azam, Additional Secretary Agriculture (Planning) Captain (R) Waqas Rashid, Director General Agriculture Water Management Malik Muhammad Akram, DG Field Agriculture Ahmed Sohail, DG Agriculture Extension Chaudhry Abdul Hameed and Director Agricultural Information, Punjab Naveed Asmat Kahloon participated.