LAHORE: The Punjab government intends to launch a mega project to improve agricultural value addition and infrastructure, as well as livestock, with the help of the World Bank.

The programme will be reviewed soon and submitted to the Punjab cabinet for approval. Punjab Agriculture Minister and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani disclosed this here on Wednesday while meeting a delegation of the World Bank at Agriculture House.

He said that the Chief Minister of Punjab is taking practical steps for the development of the agriculture sector. In this regard, the implementation of the “Transforming Punjab Agriculture” programme with a multi-cost of 400 billion rupees is underway. Under this programme interest-free agricultural loans are being provided to the farmers, promotion of agricultural machinery and other important measures are being taken.

World Bank’s Manager for Agriculture Pakistan and India, Oliver Breadth, told the Minister that the World Bank has been working with the Punjab government since 2018 under the Smart Programme. In this regard, the World Bank has taken steps for the development of the agricultural sector, infrastructure and rehabilitation of markets at a cost of $229.750 million. As a result of these initiatives, the Punjab Marketing Regulatory Authority (PAMRA) was established and steps were taken to improve agricultural markets.

The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Agriculture Planning Captain Waqas Rasheed (R), Director General Agriculture Extension Chaudhry Abdul Hameed, Director of Agriculture Information Panjab Naveed Asmat Kahloon, Director Food Department Shoaib Jadoon and representatives of other departments, while the Manager for Agriculture India and World Bank for Pakistan & India Oliver Breadth, Task Team Leader Smart Programme Oliver Durand and Christiania Hamanner participated.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024