LAHORE: The World Bank has expressed satisfaction over the progress of its funded ongoing Agriculture Smart programme during a mid-term review meeting and the bank proposed to extend its scope and completion period by two years.

This was disclosed during a meeting of the cabinet committee on Agriculture Smart programme which was chaired by Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht here on Monday.

Punjab Irrigation Minister Mohsin Leghari, Punjab Livestock Minister Hasnain Bahadur Dareshk, Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal, Punjab Finance Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, Planning and Development Board Secretary Mujahid Sher Dil and secretaries of relevant departments were present in the meeting.

Programme Director Ali Jalal further told the meeting that under this programme, the Punjab government is building the capacity of agricultural markets and implementing the rural development programme for the last five years. He apprised the meeting about the concerns and recommendations of the concerned departments on the suggestions of the World Bank to amend some targets of the programme.

While addressing the meeting, the minister said that the Punjab government was moving towards targeted subsidies in order to increase the purchasing power of low-income people.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021