Climate change to be tackled with just Rs10b

Food security, IT sector allotted more money

ISLAMABAD:

In order to ensure development alongside mitigation of environmental impacts, the government set aside Rs38 billion to address climate change, food security and information technology in the budget 2022-23.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail, in his budget speech on Friday, said climate change had become a serious issue for the existence of the country and the incumbent government was well aware of its hazards in the prevailing pressing times.

Ismail said the government allocated Rs10 billion for various climate change adaptation and mitigation projects which included plantation and other environmental conservation projects, adding that the government also allocated Rs17 billion for imparting trainings in IT sector, a laptop scheme for youth, connectivity infrastructure scale-up and promotion of IT exports.

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The finance minister apprised the Assembly that the government earmarked an amount of Rs11 billion for the agriculture and food security sectors.

The funding would assist projects pertaining to innovation in agriculture sector, increased use of machinery, soil leveling through laser, advancement in irrigation system, provision of quality seeds and to promote agricultural exports, the minister concluded.