Punjab farmers benefitting from subsidy on fertilisers

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said progress of agriculture and prosperity of farmers is a priority of the government. He said the Kissan Package of billions of rupees has been given for increasing the per acre yield and welfare of farmers.

Interest free loans of Rs100 billion are being given to small cultivators the first time in the history of the country, he added. He said farmers are benefitting from subsidy of billions of rupees on fertilisers.

He said Pakistan will move ahead with the prosperity of farmers and development of agriculture. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N government has taken revolutionary steps for the development of agriculture, which is the backbone of national economy, he added.

He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of Pakistan Muslim League-N. The CM said that a foundation of green revolution has been laid with the implementation of effective strategy for uplift of agriculture sector.

He said that interest-free loans are being given to the farmers having 12.5 acre land at the rate of Rs 25,000 per acre in Rabi and Rs 40,000 per acre in Kharif under this programme. He said a transparent system has been evolved through modern technology for distribution of interest-free loans.

Shahbaz Sharif said under the programme, interest-free loans are being provided to landless farmers the first time in history. He said those farmers succeeding in obtaining loans will be given smart phones and provided guidance regarding weather, agriculture facilities, crops, seeds, fertilizers and other affairs. In the first phase, six lakh farmers will benefit from this programme, he added.

He said the Punjab government will pay mark-up of the loans. The CM said socio-economic and green revolution will usher in with this historic programme. He said the national economy will be set on strong foundations by promoting agriculture and the dream of agriculture development will be materialised through revolutionary programmes of the government launched for the development of the agriculture sector.

He said the rulers of dictatorial era neglected the important sector agriculture of national economy while some political elements tried to create hurdles in programmes of prosperity of farmers like other development projects.

He said those indulging in negative politics of allegations and lies proved their enmity with farmers by creating hindrances in farmer’s welfare programme but the Punjab government, by evolving a programme of provision of interest free loans for small cultivators, has proved its farmer friendship, which will result in strengthening of the national economy. He said all out steps are being taken by the government for ameliorating the lot of small farmers and the steps aimed at welfare of farmers will also be taken in future.