Performance of Minfal criticised

Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan on Monday negated the dismal performance of agriculture sector during the out-going fiscal year saying that the average performance of the sector last year stood at 5pc, which is 'extraordinary'.
He was replying to the opening remarks of chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture and Livestock Makhdoom Ahmed Alam Anwar.
The resources were not utilised judiciously to keep the momentum of growth of agriculture and it led to dismal performance of the sector, said Makhdoom Ahmed Alam Anwar. He also stressed the need for marking the 'grey areas', curtailing the growth of the sector.
Syed Amir Ali Shah, MNA, said that the government had no interest in enhancing the performance of the sector, as is evident from the allocation of the budget. "It is working on the will of God", he added.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi questioned a number of development projects of the ministry terming them eyewash and said, "the economic managers of the country are only safeguarding the interests of the bankers and importers."
WATER SHORTAGE: Referring to another serious question of water scarcity for Kharif season, Qureshi also urged the ministry to take it seriously and inform the committee about the factual position of water availability for the crops.
The committee unanimously demanded of the government to allocate funds from the subsidy of Wapda (Rs 59 billion) for agri tube wells of four provinces rather to use the amount for balancing the pilferage.
He also demanded capping of the diesel prices if POL prices further increase in the international market, as it directly affects the small farmers.
The committee also regretted that the package of Zarai Taraqiati Bank president was not being implemented in letter and in spirit and asked the bank to utilise the remaining amount of Rs 5 billion package for the farming community.
Under the ZTBL president's package 2004, the committee was informed that 44,000 applied for it, and only 33,000 defaulters availed the facility by getting Rs 1.9 billion loans written off while the president announced a package of Rs 5 billion for defaulter farmers to alleviate their miseries.
While State Minister for IT Ishaq Khan Khakwani informed the committee that Rs 5 billion loans of 70 industrialists were waived under SBP circular number 29.
Meanwhile, the committee also urged for reducing GST on pesticides from 15 to 5pc and asked the provinces to plan and enforce land use planning, says an official statement.
The meeting was attended by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada, Ishaq Khakwani, Ghulam Murtaza Maitla, Syed Amir Ali Shah and chairman Senate Standing Committee Senator Amjad Abbas Qureshi.