Agri development project launched in 18 districts

Under the project, 30,000 tube wells will be transferred to solar energy to deal with the energy crisis

QUETTA:

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Agha Hasan Baloch has said that a comprehensive plan for the development of water resources, livestock and agriculture is being launched in 18 districts of Balochistan at a cost of 40 million Euros by the International Organisation for Agricultural Development (IOAD).

Under the project, 30,000 tube wells will be transferred to solar energy in a phased manner to deal with the energy crisis, which will result in an annual saving of Rs22 billion in subsidies given by the federal and provincial governments.

These amounts can be spent on education, health and other development projects.

He expressed these views while addressing an event organised in collaboration with the IOAD on Saturday.

Officials of the ministry of science and technology, department of agriculture and Balochistan farmers also participated in the ceremony.

The federal minister said that due to the lack of industries and factories in Balochistan, majority of local people were associated with agriculture and livestock sectors, saying the agriculture sector was being severely affected due to electricity requirements and the people associated with it were suffering from poverty and destitution while thousands of cattle died due to drought in 1999.

The economic effects of this damage are still largely intact, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2022.