Agriculture dept provides Rs700 million in loans

Officials told to guide farmers about solar tube-well and drip irrigation programmes

SARGODHA: The agriculture department issued Rs700 in million loans to 9,266 farmers through the e-credit scheme. Also, various other subsidised facilities were being provided to improve the agriculture sector.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Tariq Khan Niazi revealed this during a meeting of the agriculture task force. Citrus Research Institute director and other officials concerned attended the meeting. Niazi directed the task force to ensure farmers were completely aware of the programmes and that subsidies provided by the agriculture department to increase per acre production. He also directed taskforce officials to guide farmers on the subsidised programmes related to solar tube-wells and drip irrigation systems. He directed strict action against fake pesticide/fertiliser sellers.



Agriculture Department Deputy Director Faiz Muhammad Kundi told the meeting that 9,266 farmers were provided Rs700 million in loans through e-credit, while per acre production competitions were also organised in which 11 farmers were given rewards. He added almost 100,000 soil samples were collected during five years and 33,695 farmers were registered for Kisaan cards.

The plant protection department officials briefed the meeting that 202 samples were collected and 23 samples were declared feasible.

The Water management department informed the meeting that out of 56 watercourses, 50 were completed through the Punjab Irrigated-Agriculture Productivity Improvement Project (PIPIP). It added 247 out of 734 projects were completed for the drip sprinkling programme across the district, along with 190 projects for solar sprinkling.

The meeting was informed that a subsidy was being provided for tunnel farming and 32 systems were installed. At the same time, a Rs200,000 subsidy was being provided for laser land-levelling to farmers.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2018.