Sindh considering relief package for rain-hit growers

The Senior Member Board of Revenue Sindh Ashfaq Ahmed Memon has said that Sindh Government was actively considering for providing relief package for the growers of nine districts of upper Sindh, due to damage of their paddy crops by heavy rainfall.
This he observed during a meeting with Sindh Chamber of Agriculture at its main secretariat Hyderabad on Sunday. Ashfaq Memon said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed to prepare proposal for the relief package with consultation of growers and their organisations and added that he was with them to collect their views in this regard.
He said that provincial government has already postponed the recovery of all revenue taxes from these affected districts which including district Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kashomore, Ghotki, Khairpur, Nausheroferoz and Dadu.
He said that the standing paddy crop on about 1035290 acres was damaged in these districts causing affecting 30,000 growers. He said that Sindh Chief Minister intends to provide more relief to the growers of these districts on account of their losses. He said that a high level meeting has also been convened by Sindh Chief Secretary on 17th February, in which relief package for the affected growers would be discussed in the light of received recommendation of the growers.
The office bearers and members of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture participated in the deliberation and recommended for giving total remission of revenue, land and drainage taxes instead of postponing the recovery. They also proposed that the Agriculture Development Bank and other commercial banks may be directed to provide interest free loans up to Rs10,000/ per acre to enable the growers to purchase their input for next cultivation. They also recommended that their loans up to Rs5 lacs be waved off and Pasco be made bound to purchase their paddy production while Sindh Seed Corporation to make at least one lac maund certified paddy seed available. Besides, efforts to be made to make 20 lacs bags of DAP and zinc fertiliser available to the growers.
The senior member board of revenue Ashfaq Ahmed Memon assured the growers that he would bring their problems to the notice of the concerned authorities and hopefully government would give relief on account of their losses.