Facilitating farmers to benefit country: Pervaiz Elahi

LAHORE:Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said facilitating famers is in the benefit of the whole country. He stated this while addressing the first meeting of Punjab Assembly's Special Committee on Agriculture on Friday.

The meeting was attended by the MPAs belonging to all political parties, including Malik Nadeem Kamran, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Sajid Khan Bhatti, Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Syed Usman Mehmood, Mian Shafi Muhammad, Mian Manazir Ranjha, Raja Yawar Kamal, Nawabzada Waseem Khan and Miss Sonia. Agriculture Secretary Dr Wasif Khurshid, Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti and Parliamentary Affairs DG Inayatullah Lak were also present.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser during a assembly session on March 16, 2019 on a motion had formed the Special Committee on Agriculture which held numerous meetings and he formed a sub-committee of it and also signed an agreement with the agriculture universities of the country, including Faisalabad Agriculture University, which helped the committee on different matters.

The meeting discussed formation of a comprehensive policy on agriculture, stopping exploitation of farmers, approaches to new markets, detailed consultation with all stakeholders on preparation of standard seed, submitting proposals for betterment of small farmers, looking into reasons for non-popularity of most of Punjab crops in the international market, how to improve research work, measures for provision of quality seed to the farmers, shortage of water, motivating farmers towards sowing crops consuming less water, submitting proposals for adopting modern farming methods in Punjab, submitting proposals for adopting policy of developed countries on agriculture in Punjab, submitting proposals for establishing agro-industry on modern lines, adopting measures for providing information to the farmers for increasing production, insurance of crops, saving crops from losses, adopting comprehensive policy regarding concreting canals and water courses and lining, interest-free loans to the farmers and access to the new markets. Construction of roads, measures for providing pesticides, other inputs and maximum subsidy, reasons for lesser cotton production in the province were also discussed.

MPA Mian Manazir Ali Ranjha said that dams should be constructed in the Pothohar region and rainwater should be saved from being wasted. Following the tenure of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as chief minister, flat rate of abiana should be fixed as this will increase revenue, he said.

MPA Mian Shafi Mohammad said that a subsidy of Rs 7.5 billion for the farmers had been stopped that should be released at the earliest. Ahmad Ali Aulakh said that Pakistan is an agricultural country so special attention should be paid on agriculture. MPA Malik Nadeem Kamran said there is a dearth of research so attention should be paid to it. The Punjab Assembly Speaker directed Agriculture Secretary Dr Wasif Khurshid that a briefing on problems related to agriculture should be prepared in one week.