Secretary Agriculture Punjab Muhammad Mehmood has said that timely completion of agricultural development projects is our mission. Economic development is not possible without achieving the target set under the agricultural sector. The completion of farmer's friendly projects is our prior responsibility.
He warned that negligence and slackness in this regard will not be tolerated at all and officers concerned should play their role to ensure the achievement of goals and objectives of these schemes. He expressed his views while addressing divisional and districts heads of agriculture department Multan Division in a biannual performance review meeting held at Mango Research Institute. He further said that the Punjab Agriculture Department has started a project for five years worth Rs 780 million to distribute free of cost high value varieties of date plants and seedless kinnow on subsidized rates in Punjab.
According to implementation status of this program, the Agriculture Department will provide free of cost high value varieties of date plants (Ajwa, Barhee, Amber, Khulas and Midjaul) to the farmers belonging to nine districts of South Punjab (Bahawalpur, Multan, Jhang, Rahim Yar Khan, DG Khan, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Bhakkar and Rajanpur) whereas seedless Kinnow plants will be provided in six districts on subsidized rates farmers belonging to district (Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh, Mandi Bahaud Din,, Sahiwal, Vehari and Layyah) Secretary Agriculture Punjab Muhammad Mehmood further said that heavy subsidy schemes have been introduced for the high efficiency irrigation system, fertilizers (Urea, DAP, SOP, MOP) tube well electricity tariff, canola and sunflower etc. He directed that judicious use of public resources will be ensured at every level. He said field officers, local and foreign trainings are being offered to them for capacity building of researchers. Huge funds have been allocated for converting government agriculture farms into model seed farms.