Punjab Focuses On Environment, Agriculture, Wildlife In Budget

Provincial Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, in his budget speech during Punjab Assembly session here on Monday, said that provincial government has allocated a total of Rs 4 billion funds for tree plantation to control the rising graph of pollution resulting in serious health hazards for the people

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jun, 2021 ) :Provincial Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, in his budget speech during Punjab Assembly session here on Monday, said that provincial government has allocated a total of Rs 4 billion funds for tree plantation to control the rising graph of pollution resulting in serious health hazards for the people.

He said that Rs 2.56 billion would be spent on '10 billion Tree Tsunami Programme' initiated by Prime Minister, asserting that Environment Endowment Fund had been established with seed money of Rs 5 billion for promotion of green technology in sectors of agriculture, industry and forestry. For protection of wildlife, he said, Rs one billion would be provided, and as per vision of Prime Minister, the projects of Wildlife Reserve at Head Balloki, beautification of Namal Lake, and developing wildlife farm at Cheechawatni would be initiated under ADP of next FY. The Fisheries sector would receive Rs one billion, he mentioned.

Hashim said that agriculture sector's development budget has also been enhanced to Rs 31.5 billion from Rs 7.75 billion (306 percent increase) which included Rs 100 billion 'Agriculture Transformation Plan' under which Insaf Kisan Card has been issued; and Rs 4 billion for agri subsidies would be given during next FY.

Modernization of Farm Mechanization would be done at a cost of Rs 28 billion and four centres of excellence for conducting research on wheat, rice, corn and sugarcane would be established with a cost of Rs 10 billion. He said that Rs 18.5 billion would be spent in three years for bringing forth the services of private sector through Agriculture Extension Project. Similarly, Rs 5 billion would be spent under National Programme for Improvement of Water Courses; and the total subsidy on loans for farmers/growers had also been increased to Rs 7.6 billion from Rs 5.85 billion.

The Provincial Finance Minister said that the total budget of Rs 155 billion would be set aside in upcoming FY for irrigation sector and it development budget would also be increased by 82 percent i.e. Rs 31 billion for improving and modernization of canal system. The Irrigation Department would also be given Rs 9 billion (37 percent high) for M&R (maintenance and restoration) of canals to ensure water supply to tail users/farmers.