LAHORE: The Punjab government has approved 105,000 Kissan Card applications out of a total of 222,000 submitted by growers seeking easier access to credit for purchasing agricultural inputs.
Provincial agriculture department officials disclosed this information during a high-level meeting held on Monday under the chairmanship of Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani. The Minister emphasized the need to improve and intensify the Kissan Card advertising campaign to better guide farmers on the program’s benefits. He also directed the implementation of physical verification for farmer registration in areas where digital records are unavailable.
Minister Kirmani further approved the swift completion of registration process for authorized dealers participating in the Chief Minister’s Punjab Kissan Card scheme. He reiterated the Chief Minister’s vision of providing Green Tractors to small farmers at a 70% subsidy. However, these tractors must be registered with the Excise and Taxation Department before delivery, and farmers will require a Kissan Card to be eligible for the Green Tractor Scheme.
Displaying a collaborative spirit, Minister Kirmani offered assistance to other provinces seeking guidance on implementing similar programs. He also directed the creation of a dashboard to monitor the progress of the Transforming Punjab Agriculture Plan. Additionally, a comprehensive strategy was requested to increase the cultivation and production of Canola, Sesame, and Soybean.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo stressed the importance of ensuring project goals for agricultural development and farmer prosperity. He highlighted the various ongoing projects funded with a substantial budget of 64 billion rupees. Secretary Sahoo instructed the relevant officers to ensure real-time monitoring of all projects according to established timelines. He emphasized the critical importance of on-time project completion, with transparency, quality, and adherence to deadlines being prioritized.
The meeting was attended by various officials, including Special Secretary Agriculture Sheshanshah Faisal Azim, Additional Secretary Agriculture Planning Captain Waqas Rasheed (retd), Director General Agriculture Water Management Malik Muhammad Akram, Consultant Agriculture Department Punjab Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali, Director General Agricultural Information Punjab Naveed Asmat Kahloon, and representatives of the Urban Unit.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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