Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Captain (Rtd) Saqib Zafar presided over the divisional meeting regarding the current cotton situation in the Civil Secretariat Bahawalpur.
Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Captain (Rtd) Saqib Zafar said that the Punjab government is taking practical steps to ensure cotton compensation of Rs 8500 per 40 kg to farmers.
In this regard, the federal government has issued instructions to the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) for the purchase of cotton.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahu, Secretary Agriculture South Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel, Additional Secretary Agriculture (Task Force) Punjab Muhammad Shabir Ahmad Khan, Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Dr. Ehtesham Anwar, Deputy Commissioner Bahawalpur Zaheer Anwar Jappa, Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr. Anjum Ali Butar, Director General Agriculture (Pest Warning) Punjab Rana Faqir Ahmad, Director Agriculture (Extension) Bahawalpur Jameel Ghori and Deputy Director Agriculture Information Punjab Naveed Asmat Kahlon and other officers were present in the meeting.
Deputy Commissioners of Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan districts participated in the meeting through video-link. Additional Chief Secretary said that the campaign against fake pesticides and fertilizers in Bahawalpur Division is underway.
Cases have been registered against 20 people and a fine of Rs 12.1 million has been collected. Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahu directed that targeted operations should be started against fake pesticides on tip-offs and the number of routine samples should not be increased.—APP
