Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that by the grace of Almighty Allah and due to hard work of farmers, record production of wheat is expected. He said that despite severe weather condition, Allah Almighty has saved the wheat crop.
Now government would not allow middleman and hoarders to exploit the farmers, he added. He said that each grain of wheat would be purchased from the farmers at fixed price. He expressed these views while addressing a big gathering of farmers after formally inaugurating the wheat harvesting at agriculture farm of Member Provincial Assembly, Malik Ali Abbas Khokhar and former MPA Malik Abbas Khokhar at Mauza Pipli Pahar of tehsil Depalpur, district Okara.
Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that last year record wheat production was yielded and they had 25,000,00 to 27,000,00 tons wheat in the stock. However, arrangements had been made to preserve the wheat to be procured this year. He said that arrangement of Bardana as well as Tarpaulin had been made and Inshallah new godowns would be constructed next year. He said that the godowns, which were causing traffic problems in the populated city would be sold and schools and hospitals would be constructed on this precious land. He said that 125 billion rupees were needed for procuring wheat from the farmers, which were being arranged so that the small farmers should not suffer any loss.
Expressing his views about load shedding in Punjab, Chief Minister said that the Federal Minister for Water and Power always co-operates. However, if facts were disclosed, then it would create problems. But if any one did not make justice with Punjab, then he would fight for the rights of Punjab, he added. Chief Minister said that like NFC Award, four provinces would solve the problem of load shedding jointly. He assured that if farmers do not receive the full price of wheat within next 72 hours, then he would visit every nook and corner of the province. He said that Food Department under the leadership of Provincial Minister for Food and Secretary Food was endeavouring for making the wheat procurement campaign transparent and he would not rest till such time the farmers would not get due return of their produce.
Mentioning the green tractors scheme, Chief Minister said that like previous year, Punjab Government had given 10,000 tractors through transparent computerised balloting to the small farmers during current fiscal year, upon which Rs. 2 billion were being given subsidy each year. Chief Minister said that if there were resources, he was ready to provide free tractors to the farmers. He said that he would not rest till the elimination of menace of spurious agri-medicines. He said that as per vision and order of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Government would distribute thousands of acres land among poor farmers, agriculture graduates and veterinary doctors.
Chief Minister said that he has devoted himself for the promotion of health and education sectors. Dialysis machines had been installed in the hospitals whereas air conditioners and generators had been provided. He said that medicines were being provided free of cost for the treatment of poor people. He said that it was a big problem that professors and doctors did not come to hospitals on time. He said that those who had no "safarish" were not attended properly.
He said that they had to eliminate this culture. He said that they had to provide higher education to our children for making Pakistan in accordance with the ideas of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. He said that Punjab government had taken steps for providing higher education to the talented and intelligent students so that they could play their due role in the development of the country. Chief Minister while mentioning an orphan student of village Nehranwali of tehsil Depalpur in an emotional way said that this child got his education in the light of lantern and helped his widow mother in farming and breading cattle after school and obtained position in the Board through hard working upon which Punjab Government had provided lacs of rupees for his future educational expenses.
Later, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif announced an action plan for provision of free medicines to the live stock in Okara and setting up an agriculture institute in Depalpur. He also announced a financial assistance of Rs. 2,00,000 for a poor family of Mauza Pipli Pahar whose two children had died due to fire. He said that a 5-Marla scheme would be launched by the end of May for providing plots to the poor. He also ordered for making arrangements of payments to the farmers for their wheat from more than one bank.
Former MPA Malik Muhammad Abbas Khokhar and MPA Mian Muhammad Moeen Khan Wattoo also addressed the function and appreciated the steps and policies of the present provincial government. Provincial Ministers Malik Ahmed Ali Aulakh, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Muhammad Ashraf Khan Sohna and MPAs Rai Farooq Umer, Mian Muhammad Yawar Zaman, Ch. Javed Allauddin, Malik Ali Abbas Khokhar, Syed Raza Ali Gilani as well as leaders of Muslim League were present on this occasion.
Earlier, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif immediately after his arrival at Mauza Pipli Pahar went for inauguration of wheat harvesting and formally inaugurated wheat harvesting while driving combine harvester.
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