The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has allocated Rs 15 million for the development of agriculture, livestock and fisheries in the city, during the current fiscal year.
District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood said talking to visiting public representatives from rural union councils of the district, at his Upper Mall official residence here on Sunday.
"As a result of purchase of four new laser land levellers at a cost of Rs 4 million during this year, a total of ten such levellers would be available with the CDGL for renting out to small farmers on nominal rates", the Nazim informed.
"Lahore enjoys the unique distinction in the country for being the only district where agri-machinery pools, comprising latest equipment including laser land levellers, had been set up for the benefit of small farmers by the City District Government, he added.
Mian Amer Mahmood informed that the City District Government had provided motorbikes to its dairy workers and liquid nitrogen containers for carrying out artificial insemination of cows and buffaloes besides setting up mobile units for extending treatment facilities to sick cattle. A scheme for breeding of high yielding hens had also been launched in rural areas, he added.
Mian Amer Mahmood informed that Pakistan was the fifth largest milk producing country in the world despite the fact that dairy farming had not been organised on modern lines.
Appreciating federal and provincial governments' initiatives for development of livestock and dairy sectors in the country, the District Nazim observed that the government had paved way for white revolution in the country.
The District Nazim told that there were a total of 80,000 cows and buffaloes in district Lahore and the City District Government was extending all possible incentives for setting up milk processing units.
Mian Amer informed that a state of the art dairy farm would be set up by the private sector at Shah Pur Kanjran in district Lahore within one year where experts would also train local farmers in cattle farming.