CM promises 5k 'super seeders' on subsidy

Terms public cooperation against smog essential

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif launched the biggest super seeder planter machines project in the country's history on Thursday.

Inaugurating the distribution of super seeders among farmers at the Rice Research Institute in Kala Shah Kaku, she highlighted that the use of the equipment would not pollute the environment.

She said on the occasion that public cooperation is essential to eliminate smog, which causes several diseases. She said smoke emanating from a chimney in the province prompts immediate action by the authorities.

The chief minister also set a target to start a rental service of modern agricultural equipment for farmers in every tehsil at zero profit in 60 days. "There were 300 super-seeders in the whole of Punjab. We are adding 1,000 more from today, while 5,000 in total will be added in our five-year tenure," she said.

The chief minister said, "To get a super seeder worth Rs1.3 million, a farmer will have to pay just Rs500,000, while the remaining Rs800,000 will be paid by the government."

She said farmers would be given latest agricultural equipment at 60 per cent subsidy and they had bought Rs10 billion worth of agricultural inputs through the Kisan Card launched by the Punjab government.

The chief minister said building roads and infrastructure starts development.

She said people from Kashmir were coming to Punjab due to cheap bread and low inflation. "One must have to be sympathetic towards people to reduce inflation," she added.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also visited an exhibition of modern agricultural equipment on the occasion.

She inspected a rice harvester that eliminates paddy residue.