Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Pervaiz Elahi has said that farmers make up for 88 percent important segment of the society and facilitating them will benefit the whole country.
“During my tenure as the Punjab chief minister farmers, having less than 12 and half acres were exempted from tax which benefited 88 percent growers and a rate for abiana was introduced.” Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Pervaiz Elahi stated while addressing the first meeting of Punjab Assembly’s Special Committee on Agriculture here on Friday.
Ch Pervaiz Elahi said that for the first time water theft was eliminated during his tenure, saying that not only punishment for water theft was increased but also telemetric system was promoted and laser levelers were provided to farmers at UC level. He said that barrages were constructed in different areas besides restoration and repair to Taunsa Barrage, lining of canals was undertaken and 450 kilometers concrete water courses were built to ensure water tail-end growers.
The meeting was attended by MPAs belonging to all parties including PML-N’s Malik Nadeem Kamran, Malik Mohammad Ahmad Khan, Sajid Khan Bhatti, Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Syed Usman Mehmood, Mian Shafi Mohammad, Mian Manazir Ranjha, Raja Yawar Kamal, Nawabzada Waseem Khan, Miss Sonia besides Secretary Agriculture Dr Wasif Khurshid, Secretary Punjab Assembly Mohammad Khan Bhatti and DG Parliamentary Affairs Inayatullah Lak.
The PA speaker said that Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser during the assembly session on March 16, 2019 on a motion formed the Special Committee on Agriculture, which held numerous meetings.
Now we formed a sub-committee of it and also signed an agreement with the agriculture universities of the country including Faisalabad Agriculture University which help the committee on different matters.
The committee discussed framing of comprehensive policy about agriculture, stopping exploitation of farmers, ensuring approach to new markets, detailed consultation with all stakeholders about preparation of standard seed, framing of appropriate agriculture policy and submitting proposals for making small farmers, to look into reasons for non-popularity of most of Punjab crops in the international market.
The participants also reviewed how to improve research work, measures for provision of quality seed to the farmers, due to shortage of water, motivating the farmers towards crops consuming less water, submitting proposals for adopting world modern farming methods in Punjab, submitting proposals for adopting policy of developed countries on agriculture in Punjab, submitting of proposals for establishing agro industry on modern lines.
MPA Mian Manazir Ali Ranjha said that dams should be constructed in Pothohar region and rainwater should be saved from being wasted, following the chief minister tenure of Ch Pervaiz Elahi flat rate of abiana should be fixed as this will increase revenue.
MPA Mian Shafi Mohammad said that a subsidy of Rs7.5 billion for the farmers has been stopped that should be released at the earliest. Ahmad Ali Aulakh said that Pakistan is an agricultural country and special attention should be paid on it. MPA Sajid Khan Bhatti said that other institutions about food, livestock and agriculture should give a briefing so that we can have awareness about their problems. MPA Malik Nadeem Kamran said there is a dearth of research here attention should be paid to. MPA Usman Mehmood said that prior to solving agricultural problems the department should pinpoint those so that better policies are formulated.
Afterwards the Speaker directed Secretary Agriculture Dr Wasif Khurshid that a briefing on problems related to agriculture should be prepared in one week.
