Provincial Agriculture Department has initiated a comprehensive plan costing Rs 148.79 million for promotion of pulses in the Punjab. Sources in Agriculture department told on Sunday that the basic purpose of the plan was to provide food security the people across the Punjab.
Under the programme, the government will distribute "Pulses Drills" among the pulses growers on subsidy during 2015-16 and one tehsil will be selected from each district for the purpose.
The farmers having land from 5 to 25 acres will be selected for the provision of drills for line sowing of pulses on subsidizes rates sources added. The local production of pulses particularly lentil and Mash was low compared to the consumption at national and provincial level while the production of Moong pulse was also declining due to its replacement by cotton crop in its core area.
Under the plan specific activities including development of basic seed of high yielding, promotion of certified seed of Lentil, Moong and Mash by its distribution among the farmers at subsidised rates, transfer of modern production technology through farmers training programme, demonstration of modern production technology for pulses at farmers fields and promotion of pulses in association of other crops in irrigated areas for attaining the objectives of the project sources said.