The Punjab Agriculture Department has prepared a comprehensive plan for promotion of farm mechanization in the province. Under the plan, 22 types of machinery including tractors and harvesters, would be provided to farmers at subsidised rates.
The plan was reviewed in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman at Civil Secretariat, here on Thursday. The Agriculture secretary and officers concerned attended the meeting.
The chief secretary said that agriculture was the backbone of the country’s economy and the Punjab government was taking all possible steps to improve this important sector in the province. He said that increase in productivity is not possible without the use of modern technology, adding that the farm mechanization would increase crop production and reduce losses. The CS mentioned that the use of machinery to destroy crop residues would also help control smog.
Agriculture Secretary Nader Chatta gave a detailed briefing at the meeting. He said that the use of modern machinery in sowing and harvesting crops would increase the agricultural production significantly. He said that due to non-use of modern machinery, there is a loss of 3 million tons in wheat and 3.6 million tons in rice yield.—APP
