Agriculture-friendly policy: Govt to give 56,000 acres to farmers

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah announced on Tuesday that the government had decided to give 25 acres of land to every farmer in the province. He said this while discussing land grant policy to a meeting at the Chief Minister House. Shah asked deputy commissioners ensure that the land was distributed in an orderly manner and should only be awarded to those who do not own land. The government had already distributed 56,187 acres of land among 6,100 landless farmers. Revenue department officials said that 53,208 acres of land were available in areas close to the River Indus (katcha land), while 6,500 acres were available in areas that were linked with the canal system (pacca land). The goals of the programme included making peasants self-reliant and increasing food production in the country. Shah added that seeds, fertilisers and other resources worth Rs50, 000 have already been allotted to farmers.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2012.