BAHAWALPUR: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday describing farmers as an asset for the country said the government was following a vision to double their income to achieve higher economic growth, ensure food security and check poverty and inflation.
Addressing Kissan Convention, Imran said, “We have a vision to double the income of farmers. They will invest their income in agriculture, which will benefit Pakistan and help reduce poverty, decrease prices of food items and check price-hike.”
The prime minister mentioned with pride that owing to the government’s policy enhancing support prices of various agricultural crops including wheat, sugarcane and maize, the growers secured Rs1,100 billions of additional income during the previous fiscal years.
He further said with initial two years spent on economic stabilization due to various inherited challenges on the economic front, his government had finally put the country on the path of economic recovery and achieved around 4% GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth during the fiscal year 2020-21.
The prime minister also launched the provincial government’s Kissan Card scheme during the convention, which was also addressed by Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for National Food Security Jamshed Iqbal Cheema.
Research, technology can boost Pakistan's agriculture sector: PM Imran
Prime Minister Imran Khan said that as farmers were the country’s precious asset, today’s Kissan Convention would send a clear message that the country would move forward by helping the farmers.
He said that with a mere 26,000 growers having the agricultural lands of over 125 acres each, the country had around 8.4 million of hardworking small farmers, who were the core of this country as well as the agriculture sector.
The prime minister noted with pleasure that contrary to the past, when sugarcane growers had to sell their produce at lower rates due to exploitation by the powerful sugar millers, the growers this year got higher prices and earned extra profits due to the passage of a law which bounded the sugar millers to start crushing of the produce at particular dates.
He said that due to the record production of wheat, sugar, rice and maize this year, the growers earned Rs 1100 billions of extra income.
The prime minister said that the unprecedented higher sales of motorcycle in the rural areas also depicted increase in the income of farmers.
He, however, added that growth in the country’s agricultural produce did not match with population growth which went up from 40 million (West Pakistan) in 1947 to 225 million at present.
He said that despite a bumper wheat crop, the country had to import 4 million tons of wheat to cater to the needs of people.
The prime minister stressed on the need of enhanced research and development in agriculture to achieve higher production of various crops.
He said that Pakistan which had been bestowed by Almighty Allah with 12 climatic zones had a lot of potential in agriculture sector and could grow all agricultural commodities by using advanced technology and adopting modern techniques not only for local consumption but for exports as well.
The prime minister referred to the principles of the State of Medina, introduced by Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) for the uplift of poor and said that China by adopting the similar principles lifted its people out of poverty during the last 35 years.
He said that the provision of Kissan Cards by the provincial government to the farmers in Punjab would help them getting direct subsidy on various agricultural inputs.
The PTI governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan would also be asked the follow the Kissan Card scheme, he added.
The prime minister also mentioned the introduction of health card scheme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab as his government’s major achievement for the provision health insurance coverage to masses under which a family had Rs one million free of cost health facility from any public or private hospital for one year.
Kisan Card to end discrepancy, corruption: PM
Imran Khan said that even before coming into politics, he used to think if he got a chance to serve the country he would introduce the health insurance scheme, adding, the universal health insurance scheme introduced by his government was not available even in the rich countries.
He also mentioned the construction of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospitals in Lahore and Peshawar and said 70% of cancer patients were treated free of cost at the hospitals.
The prime minister said he got the ideal constructing free cancer hospital after his mother suffered from the disease and he felt that how the poor could afford the expensive treatment of such a disease.
He assured that the federal as well as the provincial government would extend every possible help to the farmers to bring about prosperity in the country and for the well-being of people in rural areas.
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