LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif will formally launch the activation of the “Kissan Card” on October 15, 2024, enabling the registered farmers to access bank loans to procure inputs for sowing purposes.

According to the stats shared by the provincial agriculture department, the number of farmers registered with it to obtain Chief Minister Punjab Kissan Card has risen to 1.25 million against the target of 1 million.

Over 170,000 farmers had obtained these cards after verification by the Bank of Punjab and these will be formally activated in a ceremony being held at Toba Tek Singh on October 25, 2024.

The government has established 136 centres at the Tehsil level across the province from where holders can get inputs using these cards.

To finalize the arrangements for this ceremony, Punjab Agriculture and Livestock Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani presided over a high-level meeting at Toba Tek Singh. Member National Assembly Chaudhry Junaid Anwar, Parliamentary Secretary Agriculture Osama Khan Leghari, Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahu, Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Naeem Sindhu, DPO Ibadat Nisar and others attended this meeting.

The Minister said that Chief Minister Punjab is taking all possible steps for agricultural development. He further said that for the promotion of agricultural mechanization in the province, the Chief Minister Punjab Green Tractor Scheme has also been launched under which the Punjab government will give a subsidy of 10 lakh rupees per tractor.

He said that model agri malls are being established to provide international-style facilities to the farmers. For the first time in the country’s history, the Agricultural Graduates Internship Programme was introduced, under which 1,000 interns are being given a monthly stipend of 60,000 rupees.

Later, the provincial agriculture minister also visited Toba Tek Singh Sports Stadium to review the arrangements for the main event.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024