LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday approved the “Green Punjab and Prosperous Farmers Programme.”

Presiding over a meeting on the development of agriculture sector in the province, she accorded approval to a multiple schemes in this regard which include pavement of water courses, farm mechanisation, focus on research & development to introduce best quality seeds, and the provision of solar tubewells to the farmers.

Under the “Pavement of water courses programme,” initially 1,200 water courses will be paved at a cost of Rs10 billion. She also directed to pave and rehabilitate all water courses in Punjab in next five years. Under the farm mechanisation programme, 56 types of agricultural machinery along with 1,000 laser levelers will be purchased at a cost of Rs2bn in three months, and given to the farmers on 60 per cent subsidy. Under the two-year mechanisation plan, 23,000 agricultural implements and 2,280 laser land levelers will be given to farmers at a cost of Rs13.4bn.

Under the solar tubewell project, farmers with a land holding of up to 25 acres will be provided with the solar systems in two years.

Earlier, the agriculture secretary gave a detailed briefing on various projects for the uplift of agri sector. He presented a plan to increase seed production from 400,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes. The proposal to cultivate soybean seed on 100,000 acre area in collaboration with the University of Agriculture Faisalabad was also discussed in the meeting.

The meeting was also briefed that there was 30 to 37 per cent tax and duty on the import of high-tech agricultural machinery. Maryam Nawaz said she would approach the federal government to get these taxes and duties waived off on the import of high-tech machinery for the development of agriculture in the province.

She said the federal government would be requested to exempt the rice straw shredder machine from tax to control smog and prevent crop residue burning.

The meeting was told that Pakistan needed 29 million tonnes of wheat and Punjab produced 26m tonnes. However, 12pc wheat yield and 18pc rice yield have decreased due to manual sowing.

RING ROAD SL-4: The Punjab government will construct the Ring Road Southern Loop-4 from Maraka to Sharaqpur Interchange M3. Maryam Nawaz on Thursday visited the Lahore Ring Road Southern Loop-3 and directed its early completuon.

She said the construction of Ring Road SL-4 from Maraka to Sharaqpur Interchange M3 will also be initiated. Visiting the entire Ring Road from Adda Plot to Maraka Multan Road, she said Southern Loop-3 would make it easier for the public to travel. She directed to plant local saplings at Lahore Ring Road Interchange on Multan Road.

She was briefed that both sides of SL-3 are 8.8km long. Traffic coming from south Punjab will be able to reach its destination without passing through the city.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2024