Provincial Minister for Agriculture Dr. Farrukh Javed has inaugurated the balloting process of distribution of agriculture implements among farmers across the province. He was accompanied by Member Provincial Assembly Chaudhry Gulzar, Director General Agriculture Extension Dr. Anjum Ali, Assistant Commissioner Model Town Rao Imtiaz and a large number of farmer representatives in Agriculture House here today.
The Minister, while talking to the media representatives after balloting, said that Punjab Government is providing a subsidy of 1 Billion 18 crore and 36 lac on agriculture implements to be distributed among farmers all over Punjab. He said that we would provide 50 percent subsidy on Disk Harrow, Rotavator, Seed Cum Fertilizer Drill, Chisel Plough and Sugarcane Ridger. He said that by providing subsidized agricultural equipment to the farmer we can boost the mechanized cultivation and production will increase resultantly. One farmer in every union council of Punjab will get selected through balloting and each lucky farmer will get a subsidy of 2 Lac 11 thousand rupees, he added. He told that balloting is ongoing in all 2486 union councils of the province. Dr. Farrukh Javed said that farmers having 6 acres of agricultural land and their own tractor were eligible to apply in the program for which applications were received until 7th December. He also said that wining farmers would be bound not to sell or transfer the equipment for 2 years under this program. The minister told the media that 70 percent of the country's agricultural produce come from Punjab. Similarly, 76 percent of Wheat, 74% Cotton, 56% Rice, 65% percent Sugarcane, 78 percent Corn, 95 percent of Citrus and 66 percent of Mango’s national production come from Punjab. He said that the agriculture industry in the country, being the only source of raw material supply is entitled to special interest and patronage. That is why Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has provided a historical farmers package of 341 billion and provincial government is spending 150 billion rupees on farm to market roads program. He said that agricultural stability and economic development is very important to ensure the stability of Pakistan.