CM orders crackdown on spurious pesticides

LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Tuesday said farmers would be fully facilitated for the promotion of agriculture sector on durable lines.

The CM said this while chairing a meeting at Chief Minister’s office in which the performance and future roadmap of agriculture, food, revenue, forest and wildlife departments were reviewed in detail.

Addressing the meeting, the CM said farmers will be fully facilitated for the promotion of agriculture sector on durable lines. Innovative programmes will be launched to increase agri-productivity and to help enhance the income of the farmers, he added. He said more than Rs 2 billion has been allocated for drip irrigation system and farmers will be provide certified cotton seeds as well to improve the cotton production. Meanwhile, subsidy will be given for certified cotton seeds and sale of unpacked seeds will be banned.

The CM directed that action be initiated against the production and sale of spurious pesticides. The farmers will be facilitated for sowing sunflower, olives and canola and special measures will also be taken for increasing the production of oil-seed crops. In this regard, the farmers will be given subsidy. He said that Punjab government has launched crops insurance, adding that its target should be achieved within the given timeframe. A comprehensive plan of wheat procurement should be devised for the current year, he added. He said that PTI government will protect the rights of the farmers and distribution of gunny bags will be made purely on merit. Similarly, the farmers will be given full reward of their hard work, he added.

The CM directed that the cabinet committee be constituted for upcoming wheat procurement campaign and this committee would prepare necessary monitoring mechanism. He said trees plantation campaign should be made a success at every cost and directed that the detail of saplings planted under the campaign should be provided to him. The CM said that he will get verify the saplings planted under the trees plantation campaign. He expressed the displeasure over planting less number of trees in DG Khan and sought a report from the Secretary Forests in this regard.

The meeting also decided to devise a comprehensive programme for promoting hatchery in the province. Meanwhile, a pilot project will also be devised for the production of shrimps. The CM said that Punjab has a tremendous potential of fish and shrimp production and added that a fish health lab will also be established. He directed that a viable project should be prepared to promote cage fish culture and added that small fish farmers will be given priority in this regard. The meeting also deliberated upon the proposal of giving soft loans to the farmers for promoting cage fish farming. He said that cage fish farming will help generate new job opportunities. He also approved the pilot project of computerisation of urban lands. Under the pilot project, the urban lands record will be computerized. He directed that provision of land records be ensured to the overseas Pakistanis through their respective embassies.