The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Benazir Tractor Scheme to provide 20,000 tractors to farmers at discounted rates, aimed at boosting the neglected agriculture sector. Presided over by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, the Cabinet meeting deliberated upon the scheme, cleared by the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet.
Under the scheme, the government would share up to 50 percent of the cost of tractor, up to a maximum of Rs 200,000 per beneficiary. The farmers will be provided subsidised tractors through a ballot system. In Punjab, farmers owning 5 acres to 50 acres land, in Sindh and Balochistan farmers with 5 acres to 100 acres, and in NWFP, AJK and PATA farmers with land holding of 2 acres to 50 acres will be eligible to benefit from this scheme. Total cost of the Scheme will be Rs 10 billion and it would be implemented through Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd (ZTBL).
The Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Minfa) to earmark special quota for Balochistan farmers. The meeting also approved amendments in terms and conditions of the Deep Sea Fishing Policy, approved during Musharraf regime. These include rationalising royalty and licence fee at the position of 1995, and declaring the federal area between 12-20 nautical miles (buffer zone) as Zone-II and from 20-200 nautical miles as Zone-III.
These measures are anticipated to bridge the yield gap through increasing productivity, enhancing investment, improving foreign exchange, rationalising the structure vis-à-vis neighbouring countries, thus achieving economic growth and increasing fishing vessels' operations in Zone-III.
Keeping in view the importance of Housing and Population Census for good governance and effective planning, the Cabinet approved, in principle, to hold Sixth Population and Housing Census "in a fair and transparent manner".
However, the Cabinet decided that the modalities to ensure transparency by taking all the stakeholders on board would be worked out in the inter-provincial meeting, to be chaired by the Prime Minister, which would be attended by the Chief Ministers, NWFP Governor, Prime Minister of AJ&K, and Chief Executive of Northern Areas. The Cabinet directed the Statistics Division to ensure effective monitoring of the process.
The Prime Minister, taking the Cabinet into confidence, apprised the meeting of the recent security situation in the country, with particular reference to the status of Swat agreement, Army action in Lower Dir and Buner, and relief activities for the internally displace persons (IDPs) in NWFP. The Prime Minister informed the Cabinet that the Army in certain areas of NWFP was called by the provincial government.
The Prime Minister said that the federal government had already sanctioned Rs 500 million for the provision of food and shelter as well as facilitating relief activities for the IDPs and, in addition, Rs 8 million has been granted for the provision of food items on emergency basis for the IDPs through Utility Stores Corporation (USC) from their regional set-up at Peshawar.
He said that the NWFP government has been directed to mobilise its financial and physical resources to provide immediate assistance to IDPs till their return to their areas after the restoration of peace. The Prime Minister informed the Cabinet that the government would soon invite Imam-e-Kaaba to visit Pakistan and preach the true face of Islam, which strongly abhors suicide bombings indiscriminately killing the people.
In order to enhance relationship between National Institute of Defence Studies, Japan, and National Defence University of Pakistan, the Cabinet approved, in principle, to start negotiating an MoU between the GoP and Japan. Under the MoU, students and faculty members of both universities will undertake visits on reciprocal basis, exchange information on current issues, and may conduct joint research projects.
The meeting approved to start negotiations for an agreement on economic and technical co-operation with Egypt. The agreement is aimed at promoting co-operation among companies, public works sector and private sector of both the countries in establishing joint ventures, and encouraging mutual investments in both the countries.
This will also include granting scholarships in economic and technical fields on reciprocal basis. To further cement socio-economic and political relations with the Government of Cuba, the Cabinet gave approval for signing of an agreement between Pakistan and Cuba for establishment of 'joint economic commission'.
Under the agreement, both sides will undertake feasibility studies to identify viable investment projects, exchange of specialists, granting of scholarships in specialised studies, etc.
The Cabinet granted ex post facto approval for initiation of negotiations and approval for signing of MoU with Germany on co-operation regarding Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project activities. CDM, introduced under the Kyoto Protocol, is a market-based mechanism that helps the developing countries in achieving the goal of sustainable development by reducing greenhouse gases and earning foreign exchange by sale of certified emission reductions generated through their projects to mitigate the climate change effects.
The MoU also covers areas of co-operation in the fields of climate change, exchange of information and transfer of environment-friendly technologies for renewable energy and energy efficiency. The Cabinet approved, in principle, to start negotiations for signing of visa abolition agreement with Ukraine for holders of diplomatic and official passports.
In order to strengthen international law enforcement co-operation at all levels in combating illicit trafficking of narcotics, psychotropic substances and their precursor chemicals, the Cabinet approved to initiate negotiations for an MoU with the governments of Australia and Libya. The Cabinet also ratified the decisions taken by the ECC on March 19, 2009.