Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday directed the concerned departments to make arrangements for immediate export of cotton. Talking to members of parliament from Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur areas here at Prime Minister House, he directed the Cotton Export Corporation to make arrangements for export of at least 100,000 bales of cotton without any delay.
The Prime Minister said water situation had been improving and the water level in the dams was increasing, and added that water supply for the agriculture sector was being improved with repairing of water courses.
He said the government had imported 50,000 tons of urea to meet fertiliser shortage for the crops, besides local manufacturing of urea and DPA was also being improved, the prime minister said adding that government had been giving a subsidy of Rs 650 per bag on urea to facilitate the farmers.
He added Fatima Sugar Mills was also setting up a new fertiliser factory to produce urea and DPA and the government had given them the gas connection.
He said there was need to develop rural areas to fight poverty and improve living standard of the people. He said the support price of wheat had been fixed well in time before the crop in order to encourage and motivate the farmers.
He said the government had been working to improve road network in the rural and urban areas. He said National Highway, Indus Highway, G T Road and other link roads were being improved while the work on Lahore-Multan Motorway would start very soon.
Referring to stable oil prices in the country, the Prime Minister said despite rise in the prices at global level, the government had not increased oil prices since May this year and had faced a loss of Rs 20 billion so far. He said the oil prices in Pakistan were still 40 per cent less as compared to India.
Shaukat Aziz also introduced Additional Secretary Rauf Chaudhry and Deputy Secretary Shah Rukh of Public Affairs Wing of Prime Minister Secretariat with the members of the parliament and directed these officials for better co-ordination for the development schemes of the parliamentarians.
The Prime Minister said Khushkhali Bank had been working very effectively in promoting livestock and providing loans to small farmers for purchasing livestock. He said the government had set up an institution to impart skills training to educated youths and added that the graduates would be given skills training allowance.
The Prime Minister further said government would start a national clean drinking programme to provide water to the people particularly in remote areas of the country.