Punjab CM taking steps to boost agri sector: minister

LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is taking priority steps to ensure the prosperity of farmers and the development of the agriculture sector.

The deterioration in agriculture, according to a provincial minister, is due to the failed policies of previous governments. Speaking on Monday, Provincial Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, during a meeting with a delegation from the Pakistan Kisan Ittehad, said that the government has allocated a significant budget of Rs64 billion for agricultural development, which is a 250 percent increase from the previous financial year.

The minister said that the unprecedented measures and mega projects initiated by the current government for agricultural development in the past six months have no parallel in the past.He said that the chief minister has launched several mega projects, including the Kissan Card, the Green Tractor Scheme, the solarisation of tubewells (to reduce dependence on expensive electricity and diesel), and the provision of interest-free agricultural loans under the Transforming Punjab Agriculture Programme.

The minister also mentioned that, in line with the chief minister’s vision, practical measures are being taken to ensure the availability of quality seeds, improve agricultural marketing, and reduce production costs for farmers to boost the agriculture sector.

On this occasion, the President of the Pakistan Kisan Ittehad, Khalid Khokhar, briefed the minister on the issues faced by farmers. He said that the federal government has deployed Rangers in Punjab to recover outstanding electricity bills, which is causing significant mental distress for the farming community.

He also pointed out that climate change has severely impacted the agriculture sector, leading to losses in cotton, rice, mango, and sesame crops, pushing farmers into an economic crisis.Khokhar urged the minister to approach the federal government and request that farmers be allowed to pay their electricity bills in installments and that Rangers be withdrawn from bill collection efforts.

Additionally, he called for government support to reduce production costs and lower the prices of agricultural inputs, especially fertilisers, to enable farmers to cultivate the upcoming wheat crop.In response, the minister assured the delegation that the legitimate concerns of the farmers would be addressed.

He confirmed that the chief minister would soon liaise with the federal government to resolve these issues. The minister also reiterated that the primary goal of the agriculture department and farmers’ organisations is to improve and develop the agriculture sector, and collaboration between both parties is essential.

Director General of Agricultural Information Naveed Asmat Kahloon, along with Provincial President of the Kisan Ittehad Chaudhry Rizwan Iqbal, Central General Secretary Ehsan Akram, Central Leader Mustafa Watto, and other representatives, participated in the meeting.