'Allocation for agriculture sector helps bring green revolution'

Punjab Agriculture Minister Arshad Khan Lodhi has said that Rs 2.80 billion, that have been earmarked for agriculture development in the provincial budget 2007-08 and the subsidy announced on agricultural tube-wells and other inputs, would help bring about not only the green revolution in the province but also its fruits would trickle down to the small farmers.
He expressed these views here on Wednesday, disclose an official. The minister said that owing to the pro-farmer and rightly directed economic measures of the government, the province would be benefited by the same since almost 70 percent population of the province, directly or indirectly, was associated with agriculture.
He said that 50 percent of Rs 3 billion subsidies announced by the federal government would be paid by the Punjab government while the remaining amount by the federal government. "With the announcement of the subsidy, a long standing demand of the farmers had been fulfilled," he added.
He expressed the hope that the shortfall of irrigation water would be made up by this step on the part of the government while it would add to the prosperity of the farmers. He further expressed the hope that per acre yield in the province would further improve owing to the government measures taken to bring about improvement in the agri-economy.
Talking about the breeding of animals in the province, the minister pointed out that the livestock was like a scattered wealth in the province, the consolidation of which was one of the foremost priorities of the government. He said that the government was taking all out measures to improve the breed of livestock through artificial insemination.
He pointed out that a total of Rs 16 billion had been allocated for agriculture, which would be used for the uplift of the agriculture economy and the prosperity of the farmers. "Owing to wise measures and better economic planning, all the sectors of the economy were heading forward with better indicators. The President, Prime Minister and Punjab Chief Minister deserve all the credit for all that improvement," he added.