Smart market reforms to yield positive results: CM

World Bank, Punjab will join hands toboost agriculture, rural development

LAHORE

World Bank and the Punjab government have concurred to join hands to speed up the programme of agriculture and rural development.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over first meeting of joint steering committee set up under World Bank and the Punjab government to review the planned road map for development of agriculture sector and enduring prosperity of rural areas. Many recommendations regarding improvement of agriculture sector were accorded formal approval in the meeting.

The chief minister said that international and local seed company cooperation would be expanded in order to escalate involvement of private sector in agriculture research and to provide cultivators with state-of-the-art seed technology. Addressing on the occasion, the chief minister said these initiatives were the need of the hour and technical assistance of World Bank for boosting yields, bringing stability in economics and guidelines for best usage of water resources was highly welcomed.

He expressed hope that this project would help to equip agriculture sector with latest trends which would bring reforms in wheat purchasing and save us from the loss we bear in this regard yearly. He said that smart market reforms and amalgamated services for cultivators at their doorsteps would produce positive results in agriculture sector also the training of females and youths would help in promoting business. Food safety system will be enhanced with smart programme and it will also help to endorse agriculture research and development plans, he added. He said that international and local seed company cooperation would be expanded in order escalate involvement of private sector in agriculture research and to provide cultivators with state-of-the-art seed technology. He said that latest barns would be set up to store wheat crops and World Bank would assist technically in promotion of agriculture and accurate usage of water resources.

He claimed the government had initiated billions of rupees projects for progress of agriculture and welfare of small cultivators. He said that reformation of agriculture setup at latest trends was the dire need of the hour and aid of World Bank, a strong partner of government was highly regarded. He added that roads from farms to markets were highly needed; so in connection with it, Khadim-e-Punjab rural roads programmes had entered its 4th phase under whom thousands of kilometers roads were renovated and constructed which would hopefully boost our economy and facilitate our farmers for easy transport of their goods. Agriculture is the backbone of economy and its promotion is our very first priority, he added. He said that this steering committee meeting would be organised every month and he himself would chair it.

Country Director of World Bank said that Punjab had high potential in field of agriculture and WB would work with the Punjab government to utilise it. Different recommendations were also accorded approval in the meeting to improve irrigation system here. Sectary agriculture and team of World Bank briefed the participants of meeting about the detailed roadmap for bringing improvement and promoting agriculture sector.