Rural economy: Balloting for distribution of agri tools inaugurated

A farmer will be selected in every UC for distribution of tools on subsidised rates

LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Agriculture Dr Farrukh Javed on Thursday inaugurated balloting for the distribution of agriculture tools at subsidised rates among farmers across the province.

Speaking to the media after the ceremony, he said one farmer would be selected for the scheme per union council. Each of them would be entitled to a subsidy package of Rs211,000, he said.

The tools included in the scheme were disk harrows, rotavators, seed-cum-fertiliser drills, chisel ploughs and sugarcane ridgers.

The minister said the government would provide a 50 per cent subsidy on the price of these tools. The subsidy would add up to Rs1.18 billion. He said the government hoped to boost mechanised cultivation and improve crop yields.

Farmers owing six acres of agricultural land and a tractor were eligible to apply for the scheme.

Javed said balloting would soon be completed in all 2,486 union councils. Those selected would not be allowed to sell the equipment for two years. He said 70 per cent of the country’s agricultural output came from fields in the province. He said agriculture sector was still the backbone of the country’s economy and should be taken care of. He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) governments realised the importance of the sector. “That is why the federal government has announced a historic farmers package of Rs341 billion and the provincial government is spending Rs150 million on a farms to markets programme,” he said.

Agricultural stability and economic development was crucial to the country’s stability, he said.

Provincial Assembly Member (MPA) Chaudhry Gulzar, Agriculture Extension Director General Anjum Ali, and Model Town Assistant Commissioner Rao Imtiaz were also present at the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2016.