Promotion of kitchen gardening: Punjab government to distribute 0.2 million seed kits

The Punjab government has decided to distribute 200,000 vegetable seed kits for distribution in urban, semi-urban and rural areas under the Chief Minister's programme for promotion of kitchen gardening. Out of these seed packets, 100,000 seeds kits will be arranged through private sector and about 100,000 kits will be developed in public sector for distribution/sale during Kharif season.
This was stated in a meeting here on Friday held to review the activities and targets under 'Kitchen gardening' programme launched in the province on the directives of the Chief Minister. The Minister for Agriculture, Ahmad Ali Aulakh, chaired the meeting.
The meeting was attended by MNA Marghoob Ahmad, MPAs Ms Saba Sadiq, Kashif Rahim Khan, Abdul Razzaq Dhillon, and Ms Arifa Khalid Pervez, Arif Nadeem, Secretary Agriculture, Dr Noor-ul-Islam, Director General Agri (Research), Dr Anjum Ali, Director General Agri (Extension), Asif Khan, Project Director Fruit & Vegetable Project, Dr Ajmal Haider, Rafiq Akhtar, Director Agricultural Information, Abid Mehmood, Director Floriculture & other officials of Agriculture Department.
Dr Anjum informed the meeting that 30,000 vegetable seed packets @ Rs 50 per packet had been distributed during Rabi season. An awareness campaign to motivate urban, semi-urban and rural population was also launched for promotion of kitchen gardening. He said that during Kharif season special focus will be given to enhance vegetable production in core areas through demonstration plots.
He said that during Kharif season 100,000 vegetable seed kits will be arranged through private sector and about 100,000 seed kits will also be developed in public sector for distribution/sale. According to Chief Minister's vision, campaign will be launched for promotion of kitchen gardening through public functionaries, NGOs and involving public representatives throughout Punjab, he added.
The members of national and provincial assemblies appreciated the programme and its targets to promote kitchen gardening and suggested that wide publicity through electronic media, particularly food channels should be made to motivate people for this healthy activity. It was also proposed that a special session for orientation of female MPAs should be arranged to involve public representatives in this positive social activity.
The Minister for Agriculture underlined that substantial portion of domestic needs can be met through promotion of kitchen gardening. He added that voluntary participation of urban, semi-urban and rural population in kitchen gardening would result in increasing vegetable production in the province. He directed to ensure availability of quality vegetable seed to bring maximum area under kitchen gardening in the light of suggestions of the public representatives.