Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited Narowal and Sheikhupura on Monday and doled out cheques of relief assistance to small cultivators under a package by the prime minister. He also inspected payment centres set up for small farmers and monitored the process of distribution of the relief sum.
In his speeches in a string of ceremonies held in connection with the financial help, the CM said, "The economy of the country cannot strengthen without the promotion of agriculture. The prosperity of farmers is that of Pakistan. PM Nawaz Sharif has given the historic Kissan package to develop the agriculture and prosperity of cultivators. Billions of farmers who grow food for the people of Pakistan deserve the all-out respect and honour."
He claimed that up to Rs 40 billion had been earmarked for the Punjab to implement the Kissan package. "A subsidy of Rs 500 has been given under the Kissan package on each bag of fertiliser. The financial assistance is being given to the small cultivators of cotton and rice at a rate of Rs 5,000 per acre. Transparency will be maintained at any cost in the payment of the financial assistance to the small farmers under the package and other welfare programmes and stern action will be taken against officers who fail us."
In a combative speech, he then criticised Imran Khan, the head of the PTI, claiming he had tried to stop the package since he hardly had any interest in the welfare of these poor cultivators.
"In view of the inflation at international level regarding agri items, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced this historic package. Imran Khan wrote a letter to the Election Commission to stop it and his request was accepted. But the government went to the court against the decision of the Election Commission which set aside the latter's order. Under the package, a subsidy of Rs 40 billion is being given to farmers in the Punjab on fertiliser, rice and cotton," he added.
He went on, "Because of the package of the relief amount given by the federal and provincial governments with the mutual collaboration of the farmers on fertilisers and cultivation of cotton and rice, 1,180,000 cultivators will benefit in the province. The federal and provincial governments have provided Rs 20 billion each to implement the package which the hardworking cultivators will turn into Rs 400 billion in the days to come. About one billion rupees is being distributed among 43,528 farmers in Narowal under the relief package and the distribution process has already begun.
"Roads are being paved in villages at a cost of Rs 50 billion under the Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads programme and Rs 500 million is being provided to villages in Narowal. Billions of rupees have been allocated for the provision of potable water to 35 million people in the rural areas during the next two and a half years. Several projects of power generation through water, coal, solar and wind energy have started. Thousands of megawatts of electricity will be available by the end of 2017 which will remove the darkness while the industrial and agriculture sectors will develop." In a speech in a distribution ceremony of the relief assistance in Sheikhupura, the CM claimed the assistance was being provided to 30,253 cultivators in Sheikhupura.