Rs725.6mln released for food security

ISLAMABAD: The government released Rs725.697 million for various agriculture and livestock uplift projects of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research under its Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) 2018-19, as against the total allocations of Rs1,143.073 million.

To reduce heavy reliance on imported edible oil, which consumes a large chunk of foreign exchange reserves annually, the government promoted olive cultivation on commercial scale. An amount of Rs286.130 million was released for those projects, against its total allocation of Rs300 million by the mid of last month of FY19, according to the figures of the Planning Commission.

To promote agriculture sector in tribal areas, the government also spent an amount of Rs111.610 million on the up-gradation of arid zone research institute (AZRI) to the level of AZRC.

The government provided Rs68.310 for strengthening as well as up-gradation of agriculture and livestock research system of arid zone research institute, Umerkot-Sindh, against the total allocation of Rs100 million.