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Economy of Sindh is going to brave a big jolt as crucial agriculture sector of the province is also nose-diving as it is not on the priority of the rulers, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor , demanding the government to take immediate remedial measures to stop speedy downslide of the economic lifeline of the province.
Expressing serious concern over reports that the Sindh government has cut down its development funds for agriculture sector by almost 25 percent for 2019-20 fiscal year, he said. It is very strange that the rulers of Sindh are slashing the agriculture budget at the time when this agro-based province actually needs a huge boost in uplift funds. He regretted that the Government of Sindh even did not release full budgetary funds of agriculture sector last year due to sheer negligence and lethargy, making many ongoing schemes unfinished. He said that as per reports, this year, the Sindh government has tagged Rs 3.75 billion for development schemes compared to Rs 5 billion last year. 21 ongoing schemes have been allocated Rs 1.785bn in 2019-20, 13 new schemes for agriculture research, extension, planning and monitoring, mechanisation, water management and training and research are reflected in the budget with an allocation of Rs 1.965bn.
He said the main crop-growing province of Pakistan, Sindh, surely needs much more funds for its crucial agriculture sector.
Shakoor said the whole world is opting for water-saving techniques like drip irrigation, saline crops, solar tube-wells, laser-based land leveling and small check-dams to conserve water, but the government of Sindh is not giving a serious focus to these important sectors.
He said huge arid and semi-arid regions in Sindh could be easily made green if the government gives them a serious attention, adequate funding and subsidies in purchased of water-saving agricultural machinery.
There is a huge potential of agriculture, farming and fisheries on sweet-water lakes of Sindh, but successive governments in Sindh have allowed these sweet-water lakes to die by not checking their contamination.
He said, "Today the people of Sindh are facing a worse poverty, hunger, diseases and stunt growth of children, despite being the residents of a province situated over the River Indus. This is only because the rulers of Sindh are not ready to develop the agricultural-based economy of this province and bring its people out of poverty, hunger and deprivation.
He said if the government of Sindh gives its agriculture portfolio to some able and honest minister who is ready to make serious efforts to revolutionize this sector, it could easily create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and give a much needed push to the sagging economy of the province.
He said without investment in agriculture education, training and research this sector could not be given the needed boost. For this purpose, the government should open agriculture and livestock colleges in every district of the province, he suggested.
He said the disbanded institution of Sindh Arid Zone Development Authority (SAZDA) should be revived on top priority basis to wipe out poverty and hunger from the arid areas of the province.
He said his party, Pasban Democratic Party, would launch a drive for the rights of the people living in rural areas of Sindh, as Wadera culture is not ready to see development and uplift in these areas.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019

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