Farmers to get maximum benefits under Kisan Card, says Kirmani

LAHORE:Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani on Monday said that under the leadership of Punjab CM, efforts were being made to provide maximum benefits to farmers through Kisan Card initiative.

The minister said this while presiding over a meeting which reviewed the progress of Punjab Chief Minister's Transforming Agriculture Punjab initiative, particularly Kisan Card Phase-II and agricultural mechanisation financing projects, here. During the meeting, various options were discussed regarding the inclusion of small and medium-scale farmers (owning up to 25 acres of land) in the second phase of the Chief Minister Kisan Card. The possibility of increasing the per-acre loan limit was also considered, with final approval to be given by the Punjab CM.Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani suggested that farmers should also be allowed to purchase diesel using the 30% cash withdrawal facility provided through the Kisan Card.

Additionally, he emphasised the need to remove transaction charges on purchases made through the Kisan Card.

The minister directed to introduce Cotton Crop Insurance Pilot Project under the Kisan Card and the formulation of a Disaster Crop Insurance Plan for other key crops.He also stressed the importance of gathering farmers' feedback for the second phase of Kisan Card distribution through SMS surveys.

So far, 535,000 Kisan Cards had been approved for issuance. Under Mechanisation Bank Financing Programme, the Bank of Punjab would provide high-tech farm machinery to farmers over the next three years at a total cost of Rs50 billion, he added. He further said that a farmer could receive interest-free loans of up to Rs50 million for purchasing farm machinery, with a repayment period of five years. Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani also highlighted the need to increase the number of rice and cotton farming machines.

The meeting also finalised arrangements for the upcoming Green Tractor Programme launching ceremony, scheduled for this month.Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo also spoke on the occasion.