Staff Reporter Bahawalpur
Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has said the PTI-led government has given new identity and empowerment to south Punjab adding that a secretariat will also be established in Bahawalpur.
Addressing the ceremony to launch the kisan card at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, the CM said the Bahawalpur region enjoys a unique identity and importance and the role of the Bahawalpur State in the establishment of a separate homeland for Muslims will be written in golden words.
The Bahawalpurites love Pakistan and IUB stand among the 1000 best universities in the world, he said. While giving credit to PM Imran Khan for the achievements, Usman Buzdar said the PTI is fulfilling its promises made with the people and assured that the south Punjab secretariat will be established soon in Bahawalpur.
The government has allocated a 35 per cent budget for south Punjab while ringfencing Rs. 190 billion and a separate annual development plan has also been devised for the southern districts, he added.
Similarly, a decision has been made, in principle, to fix a 32 per cent quota for south Punjab in provincial employment and the proposal of including Mianwali and Bhakar in this quota is being reviewed, as well.
The CM reiterated the district development package worth Rs. 360 billion has been devised to remove deprivations adding that the kisan card will help in farmers’ empowerment.
13.55 lakh plus farmers have registered themselves for kisan cards to use this facility as an ATM to get agri items.
This will help to increase agri produce; he added and continued that megaprojects valuing Rs. 300 billion are in progress under the agri emergency programme. A sum of Rs. 45 billion is given to 70,000 farmers under the e-credit scheme as interest-free loans and 4.40 billion is provided for the procurement of certified seeds and agri machinery at subsidized rates, he continued.
The 9 lakh farmers are given a subsidy of more than 12 billion for subsidizing the production cost and the latest irrigation system is introduced as well.
A subsidy of more than 4 billion is given for solar system and drip sprinkler systems while introducing crop insurance, for which the provincial government has paid 15 billion as premium, he further said.
