CM orders action against mills for non-payment to cultivators

LAHORE
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that uplift of farmers, protection of their interests and development of agriculture sector is the priority of the government and no effort will be spared in this regard.
He said the cultivators' interests would be safeguarded at any cost and timely payments to sugarcane growers would be ensured. He directed the authorities concerned to initiate stern action against sugar mills for not making timely payments to the cultivators and payments to the sugarcane growers should be ensured till September 10. He was addressing a meeting through a video conference at Civil Secretariat, here from London Monday. Various proposals for the development of agriculture and solution of cultivators problems were discussed in detail. The meeting decided to launch a vigorous campaign against the manufacturers and sellers of spurious pesticides and fertilisers besides holding Kissan Conference in Punjab at the end of September.
The chief minister said that agriculture is the backbone of national economy and there is a need for taking short, medium and long-term measures for the development of this sector. He said that farmers should directly benefit from development of agriculture sector. He said the PML-N government had effectively controlled the menace of spurious agriculture medicines in Punjab in 1998 and there was a need to display the same spirit and take effective measures against spurious pesticides on the pattern of ongoing campaign against spurious and substandard medicines and adulterated items.
He directed the authorities concerned to initiate stern action against sugar mills for not making timely payments to the cultivators and payments to the sugarcane growers should be ensured till September 10.
He appreciated the proposal of setting up agriculture commission in Punjab and said that besides authorities of the Punjab government representatives of farmers, agriculture experts and all stakeholders should be included in the commission. He said such persons should be the members of this commission as were capable of resolving the problems of agriculture sector and providing guidance for the development of agriculture sector in the real sense. He said the use of modern technology was of vital importance for increasing per acre agriculture production and modern technology would have to be adopted for this purpose. He directed that immediate measures should be taken for the provision of quality seed to the cultivators.
REPORT: Shahbaz Sharif has sought a report into the incident of injury to students and their teacher in a traffic accident near Haroonabad. He ordered an inquiry into the incident and provision of best treatment facilities to the injured teacher and students. He also directed that the persons responsible for the accident should be arrested and legal action be taken against them. Meanwhile, he expressed deep grief over the sad demise of uncle of Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmad, MNA and the death of Aftab Kawish, a senior journalist.