Minister for promotion of hybrid wheat across Punjab

MULTAN: Punjab Minister for Agriculture Hussain Jahania Gardezi has underlined the need for the promotion of hybrid wheat across the province to overcome shortage of staple food.

He was addressing a conference organised by the Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetics on the eve of wheat for farmers field day and DICE Pre-Launch Competitions here on Saturday. The minister said that the agricultural university was needed in this area. He said that the agricultural university was taking effective measures to increase the production of hybrid wheat. Pakistan was an agricultural country where wheat was a staple food, he maintained. The government was taking steps for betterment in the agriculture sector, he added. He said that hybrid wheat cultivation should be done on a large scale.

MNSUA Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asif Ali said that several model farms of hybrid wheat had been set up at the Agricultural University. Keeping in view the needs of the farmers, modern methods were being introduced, he told. Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali gave detailed presentations on the cultivation of hybrid wheat. He told that the prime objective of the conference was to participate the farmers in the conference to inspect the modern hybrid wheat plots constructed at the university. Agriculture experts said that the demand for wheat in developed countries would increase by 60pc by 2050.

Spring celebrations, public gatherings banned: The Punjab government has decided to strictly implement coronavirus SOPs and ordered respective districts to prepare plans to promote anti-coronavirus environment at all levels. Talking to delegations of traders, shopkeepers and businesspersons, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Qamaruz Zaman Qaisrani said spring celebrations and public gatherings have been banned in Multan due to the third wave of coronavirus epidemic.

He said wedding ceremonies would be held with a limited number of guests by adopting coronavirus SOPs in open spaces and all shops would be closed at 6 pm. The DC said milk, yogurt shops, Tandoors and medical stores would be exempted from the ban. He said dining inside restaurants was not allowed and only takeaways would be allowed. He said implementation of coronavirus SOPs would also be required in public transport.

The DC said the administration would not tolerate any pressure to end the encroachments and he urged the business community to discourage encroachments. He said strict action would be taken if any government official was found supporting encroachment mafia. He said the cooperation of the business community wa needed to maintain cleanliness in markets throughout the day. He said shopkeepers should clean their shops at night and keep the rubbish outside, saying that now citizens in Multan would see a change in every sector. He said waste management company had started washing roads and flyovers and Suraj Miani Road was being repaired. He said doors of his office were open for everyone. He said he would beautify the city, eliminate encroachments and make the city clean.