Apna Kisan Bank to be established
Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday announced a series of measures to support farmers, including the establishment of the province s first Apna Kisan Bank , subsidised agricultural loans amounting to Rs17 billion and an increase in financing under the Kisan Card scheme.
The chief minister made the announcements during a meeting with representatives of small, medium and large farmers from across Punjab, dedicating her birthday to the farming community and cutting a cake with the participants.
Under the proposed financing structure, farmers will be offered loans of up to Rs10 million at zero markup, loans of up to Rs30m at two per cent interest and loans of up to Rs50m at five per cent interest through the Punjab Urban Unit.
The chief minister also announced an increase of Rs3,500 per acre in the Kisan Card loan limit for the purchase of diammonium phosphate fertiliser, raising it from Rs30,000 to Rs33,500 per acre. She said the government would ensure implementation of the wheat support price of Rs4,500 per maund in coordination with the federal government.
She said the Rs17bn in subsidised loans would benefit farmers cultivating around five million acres. She added that the government had resisted pressure to impose agricultural income tax on farmers and was committed to protecting their interests.
The chief minister said the Kisan Card had helped farmers access fertiliser, seeds and pesticides without having to depend on middlemen. More than one million small farmers were benefiting from the scheme, she added, while digitalisation had improved transparency in the disbursement of loans.
Highlighting the government s mechanisation initiatives, the chief minister said 25,000 tractors had already been provided on subsidy, while the Green Tractor Scheme would be expanded. She said Rs70bn had been allocated for high-tech agricultural mechanisation, adding that the initiative was encouraging the establishment of agricultural machinery factories and local production of tractors ranging from 85 to 100 horsepower.
She announced plans to establish agro-parks in Sargodha, Bhakkar, Khanewal and Okara to improve returns for farmers. Processing facilities for grading, processing and storing mangoes, kinnows, oranges and potatoes were also being developed to promote value addition and exports.
The chief minister said Punjab would seek to export value-added products, including pasta, following an increase in wheat production. An online portal would also be introduced to digitise wheat procurement, while the government would soon formally launch its wheat procurement plan.
On water management, she said the government was taking strict action against water theft to ensure supplies reached the tail-end of irrigation channels, irrespective of a farmer s financial or social standing. Around 400 mini-dams had been completed in the Potohar region, with a target of increasing the number to 1,000. The government was also working to line watercourses to reduce wastage and promote high-efficiency irrigation systems.
