Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has maintained the PTI is a genuine farmer-friendly government which has given a full reward to sugarcane farmers for their hard work for the first time in the history. Payment of 99 per cent dues to sugarcane farmers has been ensured in the last two years and support prices of wheat and sugarcane are also being sufficiently increased.
He stated this while addressing the ceremony of distribution of certificates of allotment of agri machinery and e-credit scheme cheques to the farmers here on Tuesday. Advisor to CM on Agriculture Abdul Hai Dasti, Parliamentary Secretary (Agriculture) Muhammad Tahir Randhawa, ACS (Agriculture) and others officers were also present on the occasion.
In his address, the CM emphasized that the e-credit scheme limit has been increased to Rs5,000 for rabi crops and Rs12,000 for Kharif crop to facilitate farmers. He stated that interest-free loans amounting to Rs35 billion have also been provided to needy farmers during the last two years and another amount of Rs300 billion is being spent on agri development under PM Agri Emergency Programme.
Meanwhile, per acre yield is being increased and irrigation facilities are improved and the latest agri machinery is imperative for this purpose. The Punjab government has provided the latest machinery worth Rs46o million at subsidized rates to farmers and a Rs2.5 billion increase has been recorded in farmers’ income due to the cultivation of 78 thousand acre barren land in two years.
He expressed satisfaction that 80 new varieties of crops have been approved by the agriculture department and Rs6 billion have been earmarked for agri research. The CM maintained that additional wheat, gram, and canola crops have been produced due to farmer-friendly steps of the provincial government.
The CM expressed the satisfaction that the main culprit of the motorway rape case has been arrested due to the continued efforts of Punjab police and with the blessings of Almighty Allah.
It was a high-profile case and I extend congratulations to IG Police and his team as the main accused is under police custody now.
The Punjab Police have traced all the high-profile cases during the two years and arrested the criminals as well. The accused will face legal action and the case will be brought to its logical end, he added. The CM also announced an Rs5 million reward for the investigation team and also distributed allotment certificates and cheques to the farmers.
Meanwhile, on the directives of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, the Assistant Commissioner Murree Zahid Hussain has been removed from his post. Similarly, tehsildar and sub-registrar Murree Muhammad Ilyas and Registry Moharar Ibrar Qureshi have been immediately suspended and removed from their posts for showing negligence from their duties.
