Punjab greenlights Nawaz Sharif Kisan card

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz on Friday gave approval to the ‘Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card Project’ aimed at uplifting the agriculture sector and socio-economic condition of farmers in the province.

The chief minister presided over the meeting related to agricultural reforms here. She said that under the Kisan card 500,000 small farmers would be given loans on easy terms. This loan will be worth Rs150 billion and given in one year.

Farmers would also be given loans of Rs30,000 for per acre land for purchase of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Under the Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card different types of subsidy would also be provided to farmers, she added.

The meeting decided that model agriculture centres would be established with the cooperation of the private sector. Modern agricultural machinery, training, pesticides and seeds would be provided at these model agriculture centres.

The CM gave approval to set up a modern agriculture center in each district in the first phase.

Maryam Nawaz directed the agriculture department to formulate data related to production and demand of every crop. For research and development of wheat, rice, cotton, the meeting also gave approval for setting up a state-of-the-art centre of excellence.

The meeting decided that a board would control administrative affairs of the centre of excellence

and research centre would be linked with regional universities while Research and Development Centre would be set up in Agriculture University Faisalabad with the cooperation of China at a cost of Rs 2 billion.

To stop the ssale of fake fertilizers and pesticides, an amendment would be made to the Agriculture Pesticide Act and Fertilizer Control Act. The meeting reviewed reorganisation of Punjab Seed Corporation and Punjab Agricultural Research Board. It decided to equip Agriculture Extension Wing with modern technology and to induct 500 agricultural graduates.

The meeting was told that farmers would be given 24800 modern equipment in two years which would cost Rs 7 billion. Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and others attended the meeting.