Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. PHOTO: PTI
KHAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Tuesday inaugurated six projects in the Bajaur District for the tribal districts under the Prime Minister’s National Agricultural Emergency Programme.
The six projects include olive plantation and olive seeds for oil extraction, subsidised wheat seed, poultry and livestock distribution and milk chiller tanks for dairy business.
As per the national agriculture emergency programme, Rs44.5 billion will be spent for the development of agriculture, livestock, fisheries and irrigation sectors in K-P dring the next four years.
According to details Rs25.21 billion have been allocated for the development of agriculture sector in the tribal districts whereas an additional amount of Rs10.46 billion will be spent on short term projects. Under the initiative 8,000 acre of barren land in the tribal districts will be converted into orchards whereas 28,000 acre of barren land will be brought under cultivation. Furthermore 25,000 acre of land will be utilised for production of corn and wheat seeds whereas 16,000 acres of land will be allocated for cultivation of vegetables for which seeds will be provided to farmers free of cost. Similarly 327 tube wells will be solarised and 1,000 ponds will be dug for water storage.
Moreover, establishment of safety walls, vaccination of one million livestock and establishment of 30 dairy farms are part of the development of agriculture, livestock, fisheries and irrigation sectors.
The chief minister during his day-long visit to Bajaur district inaugurated olive cultivation and its oil extracting plant.
The inauguration was part of implementation of the prime minister’s directives for introduction of emergency programme for agriculture development in tribal districts of K-P.
The chief minister during briefing by the Livestock and Agriculture Department was told that work on 11 projects of fisheries, livestock and agriculture was in progress in the area.
Chief Minister stated that numerous opportunities for development of the agriculture, livestock, fisheries and irrigation sectors are available in the province and the incumbent government is taking pragmatic and efficient measures for their development as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“Hefty amount have been allocated for the Annual Development Program in comparison with previous years. Once implemented, it will help in bringing about agricultural and economic revolution in the province,” Mahmood Khan said.
Chief Minister on this occasion also announced regularization of project employee’s of the agriculture, livestock, fisheries and irrigation department, initiation of grafting project for wild olive trees and also directed the Deputy Commissioner to prepare a detail PC-1 for resolutions of all the problems and developmental initiatives for Bajaur Khar.
The chief minister also distributed poultry products and wheat seed among people and urged upon them to add their share in making the Agriculture Emergency Programme a success story.
On the occasion, the chief minister was briefed that wheat seed worth Rs2.195 billion would be distributed in Bajaur for cultivation on an area of 4,500 acres.
It was said that at present 1.9 million acre of land was under cultivation across the province out of which 56 per cent was arid, adding that 1.3 million acre land could bring under cultivation.
Later, the CM distributed motorcycles among the staff of livestock department.
While addressing on the occasion the CM Mahmood said that that PM Imran Khan has directed him to keep in mind the poor of the province and never fall short of promises made to the people. “We showed in a year’s work that we have completed the challenges of the tasks assigned by the PM,” the chief minister said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan will never disappoint the nation, the country’s economy will soon be on track and assured the masses that keep believes on Imran Khan and assured the masses of the newly merged district we have made 28,000 levies and supporters part of the police.
He said the tribal district would be connected to the Swat Express way through Bajaur-Swat motorway via a permanent tunnel, also assured that where there is need of the college and schools would be provided on the priority basis and the construction of Bajaur highway will begin soon and also try to establish a medical college and university here for the future.
For improving the local economy the decision to open the Bajaur route with Afghanistan will be expedited, CM said.
Moreover, he assured that the government will give the lease of the minerals being extracted in the area to the local people.
Provincial Minister of Agriculture Mohibullah Khan said that Prime Minister Imran Khan focused on agriculture sector while agro based industry and agro related investments were among priorities of his agriculture plan.
“We will make the tribal districts the model districts across the country,” he said.
Mohibullah said the K-P government would spend Rs95 billion on agriculture sector in next four years out of which Rs20 billion will be spent in tribal districts only.
Speaking on the occasion, Swat Dedak Chairman Fazal Hakim said vegetable and cattle markets would be set up in every area, small dams would be constructed to store rain water, prevent floods and also improve ground water level.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2019.
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