Lahore:Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has introduced a special historic reward package for the wheat farmers, under which 1,000 tractors worth billions of rupees would be given for cultivating wheat on 25 acres and more area while on 12.5 to 25 acres of wheat cultivation 1,000 laser land leveler would be provided to farmers through a transparent balloting.
Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani shared this information while presiding over the wheat cultivation meeting at the Commissioner’s Office, Lahore.
While giving a briefing, the minister was told that this year, the target of wheat cultivation in Lahore division has been set at 133,000 acres and to achieving it all resources and means are being used. Facilitation is being provided to the farmers as per wheat action plan. Special teams are monitoring with the support of district administration for supply of quality fertilizers, seeds and pesticides in the market. Mega farmer gathering and exhibition plots
are being prepared to guide the farmers. Regular meetings of divisional and district committees are being held. Apart from this, linkages with Agriculture and Irrigation Department have been further improved to ensure water supply for wheat crop. An effective awareness campaign through print, electronic and social media is also ongoing.
The provincial minister for Agriculture said that this year, the target of wheat cultivation in Punjab province has been set at 1crore and 65 acres, the achievement of which is indispensable for the country’s food security. According to this, the achievement of the target of wheat cultivation in all the districts of the province will be ensured in any case. In this regard, the young agricultural graduates recruited under the Chief Minister Punjab Internship Programme have also been assigned special responsibilities to guide the farmers. This year, wheat will be cultivated on government owned/ leased lands. The current government has issued Chief Minister, Punjab Kissan Card f
or small farmers of wheat through which they can get fertilisers, seeds and pesticides from registered dealers under interest-free agricultural loan scheme at fixed prices. The minister while giving instructions said that the district administration should submit an early report regarding the cultivation of wheat on the government owned/ leased lands. In addition, the Agriculture Department also present report about extended purchase of agricultural inputs through Kissan Card and the availability of certified seeds in the division. He added that this year, the price of certified seeds has been reduced by Rs 2,000 and fertilisers abundant stocks are also available. He maintained that the high cost of agricultural inputs during wheat cultivation and presence of substandard agricultural inputs in the market will not be tolerated at all. Kirmani directed all the relevant departments related to wheat cultivation to further improve their communication.
Secretary Agriculture, Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said that the
weekly regular meetings of divisional and district committees to review the target of wheat cultivation is very important. Agriculture and Revenue Department should work side by side in relation to wheat cultivation.
Commissioner Lahore Division Zaid bin Maqsood, Deputy Commissioner Lahore Syed Musa Raza, Additional Secretary Agriculture Task Force Punjab Muhammad Shabir Ahmed Khan, Director General Agriculture Extension Chaudhry Abdul Hameed, Director General Crop Reporting Dr. Abdul Qayyum and other officers participated in the meeting while Deputy Commissioners of Sheikhupura, Nankana and Kasur participated through video link.