Siraj urges govt to resolve problems of growers

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq on Saturday demanded of the government to solve the problems being faced by the growers to provide them relief and ensure a raise in agriculture produce.
Talking to a delegation, led by KBP chief Sadiq Khan Khakwani that called on him at Mansoora , Siraj said almost seventy per cent of the country’s population was associated with agriculture but their problems were being ignored.
He urged the government to give interest free loans to growers, fix support price of major crops, fix flat rate for agricultural tube wells, provide cheap electricity to farmers and wave off Sales Tax on agricultural inputs.
The JI chief stressed the need for launching a strong movement to get rid of feudal lords, landlords and capitalists who are controlling the government in one way or the other.
He also demanded an immediate compensation for the people affected by the rains and floods. He called for arrangements for the flood-hit people.
He said heavy floods had been hitting the country every year and causing colossal losses but the government had not made any planning to prevent the floods or to minimise their losses. The JI said 90 per cent of the growers owned less than twelve and a half acres of land and had limited means, and the per acre yield was low due to their lack of resources, saying that these poor growers sent assembly members to assemblies but after election the elected members forget them.