Punjab govt aims at 6.5 per cent GDP growth in next four years

LAHORE: The Punjab government aimed at achieving 6.5 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth during the next four years.

The provincial government has prepared growth strategy for 2019-23, in consultation with Planning and Development’s distinguished economist Dr. Hafeez Ahmed Pasha.

The growth strategy focused on agriculture sector and resolution of water related issues in the province. According to the new plan, poverty would be slashed by 6 per cent and private sector’s investment would be increased to Rs3.2 trillions during the next four years.

The government planned to build Rs3million housing units and set 4 per cent growth rate for agriculture sector.

Earlier, the Punjab government on February 20, had announced its agriculture policy for 2019.

Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Nouman Langrial had hoped that GDP growth would up to 4-5 percent annually by the new agricultural policy.

Best utilization of resources, labourers, increase in agricultural productivity, introducing modern techniques and equipments were the key features of the new agricultural policy, said the minister.

He had said that the government would focus women and youths to increase the growers’ profit. Langrial had said that the government devised strategy to tackle the environmental changes to increase agricultural productivity.