Provincial Agriculture Minister Ashiq Hussain Kirmani presided over an important meeting at Agriculture House Lahore in which services hiring of 500 agricultural assistants on contract for one year and proposed amendments in Punjab Fertilization Regulation Act 2024 were reviewed.
Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo was present in the meeting.
DG Agriculture Extension Dr. Ishtiaq Hasan said during a briefing in the meeting that in two years, 1000 fresh graduates of BSc agricultural universities will be recruited as agricultural assistants at the district and tehsil levels. An amount of billion rupees has been allocated.
Agricultural graduates will work under Punjab Agriculture Department Extension and the objective will be to stabilize the extension wing of agriculture.
Provincial Agriculture Minister Ashiq Hussain Kirmani on this occasion directed to ensure the selection of agricultural graduates on the basis of impartiality and merit. He said that the district from which eligible candidates are not found according to the terms and conditions should not be hired. Female candidates should not be recruited for this field duty.
Agriculture Minister said that after every 6 months the performance of agricultural graduates will be evaluated. Agricultural graduates should have job incentives and after one year they will be given experience certificate.
He said that the Divisional Director of Agriculture Department is the head of the recruitment committee in their respective districts. and he will ensure the recruitment of qualified candidates, at least 10 interview numbers should be kept so as to discourage Safrshi culture.
Ashiq Hussain Kirmani told the meeting that the total number of agricultural assistants is densely packed with important commodities and crops of the province.
Orders were issued to distribute the areas according to the formula. Ashiq Hussain Kirmani added.
According to the clear instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, strict action will be taken against those who make adulterated, fake and substandard fertilizers and strict punishment will be given to these elements under a transparent process.
Said that lab test and reanalysis of fertilizer samples of dealers making fake and adulterated fertilizers should be done authentically.
Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahu said on this occasion that feasible suggestions should be taken from the Department of Urban Unit and Industry Department for the hiring of agricultural assistants will be given priority while in-form training facility will be provided to these assistants.
Chief Executive Officer Urban Unit Lahore Dr. Umar Masood, Additional Secretary Task Force Agriculture Shabir Ali Khan and DG Agriculture Extension Dr. Ishtiaq Hassan and other officers also participated in the meeting.
