Provincial Minister for Agriculture Malik Ahmed Ali has said that one lakh eighteen thousand 50-kg bags each of high quality verified seed of wheat worth Rs.24 crore have been distributed free of cost among 25 thousand farmers of flood hit districts of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanapur of South Punjab.
He expressed these views while talking to the media men. The Minister said that Punjab Chief Minister considers the agony of the farmers has his own pain and provision of free seeds to the cultivators of South Punjab is its practical display. He informed that 19875 bags of seed of wheat have been distributed among 4543 cultivators of Dera Ghazi Khan while 98230 bags among 3977 flood affectees of District Rajanpur.
Malik Ahmed Ali further informed that aabyana, maalia and agri tax have been waived off while agri loans deferred in the mouzas declared as calamity hit by the Punjab government. He said that Punjab government stands with the people in every hour of distress. He said that record production of 37 lakh ton rice has been achieved this year. He said that Punjab government is taking steps for the prosperity of farmers and provision of pesticides to them. He said that farmers have been saved from financial crisis and destruction of crops by seizing fake and expired pesticides worth Rs. 40 crore. He informed that green tractors have been distributed among 30 thousand farmers by providing a subsidy of 6 billion rupees. Moreover, agri implements and 173 tractors worth one billion rupees were distributed among position holders of agri competition. He said that under a project of Rs. 36 billion, 9000 water courses are being bricklined while drip and sprinkler irrigation system is being installed over one lakh 25 thousand acre of land. He said that Punjab government is working on a project of exporting fruit for the prosperity of the farmers for which two billion rupees have been allocated. He said that a suggestion was presented to the Chief Minister for increasing the rate of aabyana and maalia which was rejected. He said that agri sector is being improved due to the measures of the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.