NA panel seeks reduced power tariff for farm sector

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Food Security and Research has directed for reduction in the electricity tariff for the agricultural sector from Rs9.35 to Rs5.35.

The meeting at the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), chaired by Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, received a briefing from the Ministry of Food Security on the support prices of wheat, cotton and sugarcane.

Committee members Rai Muhammad Murtaza, Makhdoom Zain Qureshi, Noshin Hamid, senior officials of the ministry of food security and research and others attended the meeting. The Food Secretary informed the committee that the production cost of wheat in Punjab had been estimated at Rs1,586 per 40 kg.

The committee directed the ministry of food to increase the price of wheat from Rs1,586 to Rs1,800. The committee also directed for reducing the electricity tariff for the agricultural sector from Rs9.35 to Rs5.35 per unit.