ISLAMABAD: The farmers’ community on Friday lauded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for introducing Kisan Card Scheme to provide subsidy on the prices of wheat seeds, urea and necessary agricultural medicines alongwith provision of equipment, interest free loans and insurance.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, under the first phase of Kisan Card scheme, farmers’ database would be improved and targeted subsidies for machineries and inputs would be provided to the farmers.
In the second phase, farmers would be provided different facilities including provision of interest free/ low markup loans, crop insurance and any other financial assistance in compensation of the losses incurred to them due to natural calamities.
The farmers said this was an important government step towards their empowerment.
Raees Khan, a farmer, termed it a historical initiative of the KP government to provide subsidy, adding that it would increase the cultivation and make the province self-sufficient in wheat and other crops produce.
He highly praised the government for introducing Kisan Card scheme which was based on modern the best practices to facilitate poor farmers facing serious consequences due to economic crunch and climate change.
Haji Amanullah, another farmer from Dera Ismail Khan said for the first time any government was paying special attention to the development of agriculture sector in the province.
He said the initiative would encourage farmer’s community to enhance crop cultivation, adding, it would give positive results in future.
Talking to reporter, Provincial Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Amin Khan Gandapur said as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, maximum facilities were being provided to the growers to encourage and uplift them.
He said the government was striving hard to equip the farmers with modern technology to enhance crops production to make the country self-sufficient in agricultural products.
The provincial government was also working out an improved irrigation system with maximum outreach to overcome water availability issues of the far-flung areas which would also augment the agriculture potential in the province, he added.