Staff Reporter Peshawar
As a significant step to promote livestock sector of the province, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has decided to launch a special program with the aim to produce dairy products, meat and poultry for commercial purpose and directed the authorities of agriculture department to devise a comprehensive and workable plan to this end within one month time period.
He also directed the authorities concerned to develop an action plan for the execution of the said program and said that the provincial government would provide all required sources for the purpose on priority basis.
He was chairing a meeting of the agriculture & livestock department which reviewed progress so far made on the implementation of Agriculture Transformation Plan.
Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Senior Member Board of Revenue Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Amjad Ali Khan, concerned administrative secretaries and others senior officials attended the meeting.
The chief minister while giving his policy guidelines to the quarters concerned about the said program, said that the provincial government would provide financial assistance to the people associated with livestock sector in order to boost meat, poultry and other dairy products for commercial purposes.
The Chief Minister also directed the relevant authorities to come up with proposals under the said program for establishing diseases free zones in feasible districts of the province in order to protect cattle from foot-and-mouth disease.
He further directed them to design a strategy for effective marketing of trout fish, dairy products, poultry and meat in other provinces and abroad as well.
Mahmood Khan stated that there was huge potential for agriculture in south districts and for horticulture and livestock in northern districts of the province which need to be explored to boost the economy of the province and create job opportunities for its people, and said that the incumbent provincial government is not only committed to boost these sectors but also taking result oriented steps to this end.
He directed the Agriculture and Industry departments to work together and develop a strategy for setting up plants at feasible places for the packaging, grading and value addition of fruits and other products.
He said that the development of livestock was one of the top priority areas of his government as it was directly related to common man adding that economy of the province can be strengthened on sustainable grounds by promoting livestock sector.
The meeting was briefed in detail about the progress so far made on Agriculture Transformation Plan. The chief minister while expressing satisfaction on the progress made on the implementation of Transformation Plan, directed the authorities concerned to further improve the pace of execution and ensure the progress on the activities of the plan as per timelines.
He said that as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to promote Agriculture sector, implementation of the Transformation Plan was the need of the day adding that the provincial government was not only committed but also taking pragmatic steps for the execution of the said plan.
