Steps Being Taken For Implementation Of CM Kisan Package

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Steps being taken for implementation of CM Kisan Package

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -7th Sept,2016) : Secretary Agriculture Punjab Capt. Muhammad Mahmood here on Wednesday said that steps were being taken for complete implementation of Kisan Package with an aim to achieve targets of agriculture sector development by providing its benefits to farmers.

During a meeting with officers of agriculture department in DCO Office here, he said that a comprehensive strategy was being evolved to cope with the challenges being confronted by the agriculture sector.

He said that huge subsidy was being provided under CM Punjab Kisan package for reducing the cost of production of crops under which interest free loans of Rs 80 billion was being advanced to small farmers while general sales tax on fertilizers and pesticides had also been waved off, besides decreasing per unit electricity rate from Rs 8.85 to Rs 5.35 on tube-well connections and GST on electricity would also be paid by the Punjab government.

The Secretary said that 250,000 soil tests would be carried out by the end of this year for providing technical guidance to farmers about the cultivation of crops according to the soil test. He said that 25,000 motorcycles would also be provided very soon to the Field Assistants of Agriculture department for facilitating them to provide the departmental services to the farmers at their farms.

He said the government's priorities regarding boosting up agriculture sector were very clear and the support of district administration was imperative to achieve the targets of Punjab government agriculture policies.

He said that District Agriculture Advisory Committee and District Task Force for agriculture be kept active and mobilized for overseeing the performance of agriculture department. He stressed for effective actions against the spurious and substandard pesticides and fertilizers producers and said that intelligence based raids be conducted for the total elimination of this menace.

He appreciated the services and performance of local agriculture department under the supervision of EDO Agriculture Ch. Abdul Hameed and informed that CM Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif had approved the reward of additional salaries for the officers of agriculture department who would show excellent and marvelous performance to achieve the targets.

DCO Salman Ghani assured full cooperation of the district administration for the effective implementation of new initiative under Kisan Package and said that no stone keep unturned for achieving the desired results in agriculture sector. He said that vigorous campaign was continued to curb the menace of producing and sale of spurious pesticides.