Research oriented projects: Punjab government allocates Rs one billion

Present Provincial Government has allocated an amount of Rs one billion for funding output oriented research projects on high priority issues through Punjab Agricultural Research Board (PARB). This was stated by Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Minister for Agriculture Punjab while delivering concluding remarks at an international seminar on "Wheat Productivity Enhancement to Sustain Self Sufficiency" held at Ayub Agriculture Research Institue (AARI) Faisalabad.
In the seminar agriculture scientists from India, Bangladesh and international research institutions like ICARDA, CIMMIT presented research papers regarding different aspects of wheat research. He said that scientists of AARI, Faisalabad are playing important role in agriculture development of the country and have released numerous high yielding crop varieties which have played pivotal role in strengthening national economy.
He said an amount of Rs 900 million under Competitive Grant System (CGS) for 42 higher priority research projects has been approved by PARB, so far. He further said that 52 new varieties of different crops have been developed by Research Wing of Agriculture Department and approved by Punjab Seed Council for cultivation during current regime since 2008 whereas only 49 were approved by previous Government during their five years tenure, which reflects pretty good performance of agricultural scientists working in Agriculture Department, Punjab.
Highlighting efforts of Government to boost agricultural development in the province, the Minister stated that Government has provided subsidy up to 4 billion rupees to small farmers for purchase of tractors during the last two years whereas up to one billion rupees were provided for purchase of farm implements. He asked agricultural scientists to formulate recommendations for increasing production of crops and government would provide necessary funds to implement recommendations.
He emphasised the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in wheat in order to preserve and safeguard national sovereignty. In this seminar scientists informed about the methods to control wheat aphid without using chemicals. The scientists also presented latest research findings regarding use of new techniques for developing new crop varieties.