CM Usman Buzdar distributes certificates, cheques among farmers

LAHORE: Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that the PTI is a genuine farmer-friendly government which has given a full reward to sugarcane farmers for their hard work for the first time.

Payment of 99 percent dues to sugarcane farmers has been ensured in the last two years and support prices of wheat and sugarcane are also being sufficiently increased. He stated this while addressing the ceremony of distribution of certificates of allotment of agriculture machinery and e-credit scheme cheques among the farmers here Tuesday.

Agriculture Adviser Abdul Hai Dasti, Parliamentary Secretary (Agriculture) Muhammad Tahir Randhawa, ACS (Agriculture) and others were also present. In his keynote address, the chief minister emphasised that the e-credit scheme limit had been increased to Rs5,000 for Rabi crop and Rs12,000 for Kharif crop to facilitate the farmers. He stated that interest-free loans amounting to Rs35 billion had also been provided to needy farmers during the last two years and another amount of Rs300 billion was being spent on agriculture development through PM Agriculture Emergency Programme.

Meanwhile, per acre yield is being increased and irrigation facilities are improved and the latest agri machinery is imperative for this purpose. The Punjab government has provided the latest machinery worth Rs460 million at subsidised rates to farmers and Rs2.5 billion increase had been recorded in farmers’ income due to the cultivation of 78,000 acre barren land in two years.

He expressed the satisfaction that 80 new varieties of crops had been approved by the agriculture department and Rs6 billion had been earmarked for agriculture research. The chief minister maintained that additional wheat, gram, and canola crops had been produced due to farmer-friendly steps of the provincial government.

The CM expressed the satisfaction that the main culprit of the motorway rape case had been arrested due to the continued efforts of Punjab police and with the blessings of Almighty Allah. It was a high-profile case and I extend congratulations to IG Police and his team as the main accused is under police custody now, he added. The Punjab Police have traced all the high-profile cases during the two years and arrested the criminals as well. The accused will face legal action and the case will be brought to its logical end, he added. The chief minister announced Rs5 million reward for investigation team. He also distributed allotment certificates and cheques among the farmers.

Agriculture Minister Hussain Jehanian Gardezi stated that the promotion of agriculture would boost economic development and the use of the latest machinery would result in increasing per acre yield. The CM also inspected the agri machinery exhibition.