LAHORE: The Punjab government has allowed the farmers, who have obtained Kissan Cards, to withdraw 30 percent of cash through their cards. To date, over 1.3 million farmers have applied for the Kissan Card while the Bank of Punjab (BoP) is completing the scrutiny of over 500,000 applications.
Meanwhile, the province has already achieved over 98.7 percent of the wheat cultivation target as sowing has been completed on over 15.2 million acres in the province.
Through the Kissan Card, purchases worth Rs 27 billion have been made in the province, including Rs 12 billion spent on DAP fertilizer. Overall, 91 percent of fertilizer purchases have been facilitated through the Kissan Card.
This was disclosed at a high-level meeting chaired by Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, which reviewed the progress on the Chief Minister Punjab’s Kissan Package and the “Grow more Wheat” campaign. Secretary of Agriculture Punjab, Iftikhar Ali Sahoo was also present.
Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Punjab, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, highlighted that the Kissan Card has provided timely agricultural inputs for wheat cultivation through interest-free loan schemes, rescuing the farmers from middlemen exploitation.
He directed strict monitoring of the purchase process under the Kissan Card and immediate action against dealers overcharging or creating artificial shortages of seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural medicines. Farmers can report any complaints regarding the Kissan Card to the Punjab Agriculture Department’s helpline.
Under the Chief Minister of Punjab’s Green Tractor Programme, allotment letters have been issued to 9,382 of the 9,500 successful applicants. Of these, 7,110 farmers have deposited their share of the payment with banks, and 1,280 tractors have been manufactured. The meeting was informed that the application process for solarization of agriculture tube wells will start on December 9, 2024. Under the Smog Control Programme, 1,000 Super Seeders have been distributed to farmers this year. These have facilitated the scientific utilization of rice stubble on over 100,000 acres of land, preventing stubble burning. By July 2025, an additional 4,000 Super Seeders will be provided to farmers.
Progress is also being continued in establishing Agri Malls in Sahiwal, Sargodha, Multan, and Bahawalpur according to the set timelines. Demonstration plots for sesame, soybean, and canola cultivation are being established under the Chief Minister’s Kissan Package, alongside seminars to provide technical guidance to farmers. The meeting also reviewed the local manufacturing and supply of agricultural machinery.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo affirmed that the timelines of the Chief Minister’s Kissan Package are being strictly adhered to. He further emphasized the proactive involvement of agriculture extension officials, university students, and interns under the Chief Minister’s Internship Programme in achieving wheat cultivation targets.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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