Punjab Agriculture Department has received 257,000 applications for draw of 10,000 tractors on subsidised rates under the 'Green Tractor Scheme' of the Chief Minister Punjab aimed at promoting the mechanised farming in the province.
Sources told Business Recorder here on Monday that 40,000 applications out of these total 257,000 received have been rejected on different technical grounds while remaining 217,000 will be included in the balloting by virtue of which successful applicants will receive a subsidy of Rs 200,000 each under the said scheme. Nevertheless, the department has also provided a chance of appeal to the rejected applicants and hearing on these appeals are underway now a day. The process will be completed well before the date of balloting which is scheduled for October 01, 2012, sources added.
This year the provincial government has also allocated quota of tractors for each district on population basis, the sources said and added that Lahore district has been allocated 799 tractors against which, the department has received 1,700 applications. Similarly against 222 tractors allocated for Gujranwala, the department has only received 10 applications.