Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has given the green light to the “Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card” initiative in the province, following a special meeting on agricultural reforms held on Friday.
During the meeting, it was outlined that farmers would receive 24,800 pieces of the latest agricultural machinery, totaling 7 billion rupees over two years.
Furthermore, Maryam Nawaz, in approving the Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card, expressed optimism that farmers would benefit from authentic fertilizers and medicines. In the initial phase, a model agricultural center will be established in each district.
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As per the announcements, 500,000 small farmers will be granted loans of 150 billion rupees on favorable terms within a year. Loans of 30,000 rupees per acre will be extended for purchasing quality seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. Amendments to prevent the sale of counterfeit agricultural fertilizers and pesticides will also be made in the Act.
Various subsidies will be provided through the Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card, and model agricultural centers will be set up across Punjab through private sector participation. These centers will offer facilities for research on genomics, germplasm resources, speed breeding, and climate change.
Furthermore, the Punjab Seed Corporation and Punjab Agriculture Research Board were established, and a decision was made to establish a Rs2 billion research center in Faisalabad with Chinese cooperation.
The Agriculture Culture Department was instructed to compile comprehensive data on seasonal production and demand, and centers of excellence for research and development on cotton, wheat, and rice crops will be established.
Legislation will be proposed to prevent agricultural land from being used for residential purposes, and the Agricultural Extension Wing will be modernized with new technology, along with the recruitment of 500 agricultural graduates.
