“PTI govt is taking measures for the betterment of agri sector”, says Hussain Jehanian Gardezi

PTI government is taking practical measures for the betterment of the Agri sector. Whereas former governments merely believed in lip service and their initiates were remained limited to committees and reports. This was stated by Provincial Agriculture Minister Hussain Jehanian Gardezi while addressing a press conference at DGPR today. SACM Dr. Firdous Awan was also present on this occasion. Prime Minister’s Agri emergency program worth Rs300 billion is being implemented to curtail the production cost of the cultivators. Under this project, ten thousand watercourses are being bricked for Rs28.59 billion. 1200 laser land levelers have been provided to the cultivators at subsidized rates. He further stated that approximately four lac bags of approved seed of wheat, provision of anti-weeds medicines as well as latest Agri machinery are being provided to the farmers for Rs12.54 billion. He said that under Prime Minister’s Agri emergency program, Agri machinery worth more than Rs47 crore has been provided to the cultivators. Under this scheme sales tax rate on harvesting machinery and service providers is being brought to two percent from 16 percent. He said that the agriculture department has approved 102 kinds of crops. DNA, fingerprinting, and variety registration has been declared compulsory. Insurance, facility (Taqafal) program is being provided to the cultivators of 27 districts under which insurance of five lac 39 thousand and 439 cultivators have ensured their produces and agriculture has paid three billion as a premium to insurance companies. Nine lac 34 thousand cultivators were benefitted from the e-voucher smart subsidy scheme. Under this scheme, Rs4 billion 86 crore and 36 lac have been paid to the farmers. Syed Hussain Jehanian Gardezi said that the present government has increased the e-credit scheme limit from 25 thousand to 30 thousand per acre for Rabi crop and from 40 thousand to 50 thousand per acre for the Khareef crop. An interest-free loan of Rs61 billion has been distributed among the cultivators so far. He further maintained that during the last 2 years more than 78 thousand barren lands were turned into fertile land which increases the income of the cultivators by approximately 2.5 billion.