PM's agriculture programme: Sindh part of only four projects out of 13 launched

Sindh is part of only four projects out of a total of 13 launched under the Rs 277 billion Prime Minister's National Agriculture Emergency Programme (NAEP).

Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) are part of all 13 projects. Under the programme, over the next five years, the contribution of the federal government is projected at Rs 81 billion, said, a senior official of Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R).

He said that the estimated cost of the NAEP including agri market development of Punjab earlier announced by the government was Rs 309.7 billion.

He said that the federal government has so far released a total of around Rs 1.8 billion to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, AJK and GB under the programme but the share of Sindh has not yet been released as the province only recently became part of the programme.

Muhammad Ismail Rahoo, the provincial minister for agriculture Sindh told Business Recorder on telephone that his government has become part of four projects notably productivity enhancement of (i) wheat, (ii) rice, (iii) sugarcane, and (iv) National Oilseeds Enhancement Programme (NOEP). Enhancement of conservation areas of small and medium dams in barani areas is under consideration.

Rahoo said that Sindh government did not become part of other projects as it had already begun work in some areas identified under the NAEP while others are not applicable to the province.

Rahoo said that federal government's share of cost in the productivity enhancement of wheat, rice and sugarcane is 25 percent while Sindh government's share in the cost is 75 percent. The total cost to be borne by Sindh government for NAEP is 60 percent while share of the federal government is 40 percent, he said, adding that total share of federal government enhancement of command areas of small and mini dams is 36.6 percent and Sindh government's share is 63.4 percent.

According to the official of MNFS&R, in the first two quarters, the centre released Rs198 million for productivity enhancement of wheat under Prime Minister's NAEP, Rs150 million for productivity enhancement of rice and Rs50 million for productivity enhancement of sugarcane.

He further stated that government has released Rs140 million for NOEP to provinces to minimize the reliance on imported edible oil. Rs 42 million has been released for save and fattening of calf program and Rs10 million for backyard poultry program.

Under current year's development programme, an amount of Rs62 million was also released for promotion of trout cage farming in northern areas of the country to exploit fresh water fish farming in these areas as well as provide livelihood to a large number living in these areas.

He said that government has allocated Rs1.05 billion for national programme of improvement of watercourses and Rs40 million for water conservation in barani areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.