LAHORE: The Punjab Agriculture department will spend Rs 14.8 billion on 25 projects of agriculture research and innovation during the year 2021-22 to improve the performance and productivity of the sector.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab Asad ur Rehman Gillani disclosed this while speaking at the agriculture transformation steering committee meeting held at the Chief Minister House here on Monday with Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi in the chair.
The meeting reviewed the pace of work on ongoing projects of Agriculture and Irrigation departments. It was informed that another Rs 33.3 billion is being spent on 10 projects of agriculture (extension), Rs 109 billion for 12 projects of water management wing and Rs 12.4 billion for seven projects of agri-mechanism services. Similarly, Rs 24.5 billion is being spent to improve the performance of agriculture marketing, the secretary added.
The secretary said that these projects are aimed at increasing production of quality seeds, promoting mechanized agriculture and improving the service delivery for extension services.
He also briefed the meeting about the Rs 31 billion worth development and Rs 17 billion non-development budget of the agriculture department for the year 2021-22.
Gardezi directed the officials to pace up the work on different projects and ensure maximum facilities to the growers. He said “kissan Card” project of the present government is flagship project of the government under which growers are being provided quality seed, agricultural implement and subsidy on different services.
Punjab Irrigation Minister Mohsin Khan Leghari threw light on Jalalpur Canal Irrigation Project and said completion of it will irrigate 170,000 acres of land of Pind Dadan Khan and Khushab.
Secretary Irrigation Saif Anjum also gave a detailed briefing about different projects being carried out by the department. Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Afzal, CM Monitoring Unit Head Fazeel Asif and other senior officers attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022