All Watercourses In Punjab To Be Brick Lined: CM

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Mar, 2024) Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday ordered to complete brick lining of

all watercourses in the province in five years under 'Sarsabz Punjab Khushaal Khastkaar'

initiative.

The chief minister was presiding over a meeting in which formal approval was given to various agriculture projects.

During the meeting, approval was given to the project under which lining of all watercourses in Punjab would be carried out besides solar tube-well project.

In the first phase, lining of 1,200 watercourses would be carried out in two years at a cost of Rs 10 billion while in the second phase lining of 7,000 watercourses would be ensured. Farmers possessing upto 25 acres of land would be provided solar system in two years.

In the meeting, the agriculture secretary briefed the chief minister about agriculture projects.

Decision was made in the meeting to give 56 types of agricultural machinery to farmers on 60 per cent subsidy while farmers would be given 1,000 laser levelers in the next six months.

Maryam Nawaz directed the relevant authorities to increase seed production from 400,000 tons to 600,000 tons.

The meeting also discussed proposal to cultivate soyabean seed on 100,000 acres of land with the cooperation of University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

The chief minister said the Federal government would be contacted to waive off tax and duty on high tech agricultural machinery.

To control smog and avoid burning of  crops residues, the meeting unanimously decided to contact federal government to waive off tax on rice straw shredder machine.

Meeting was told that there was 30 to 37 per cent tax and duty on high tech agricultural machinery.

Under mechanization plan, agricultural machinery would be bought with Rs 2 billion in three months and machinery would be provided to farmers on subsidy.

Under two years mechanization plan, 23,000 agricultural equipment, 2280 laser land leveling would be given to farmers on subsidy.

The country's wheat requirement was 29 million tons while Punjab produces 26 million tons.

Annually 1.75 million tons of seed was required for sowing of different crops in the country and seed worth Rs 50 billion was imported.

Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and others attended the meeting.