Agriculture happy with Rs 2b addition

LAHORE The Punjab government has proposed allocation of Rs9.161 billion for agriculture for Fiscal Year 2011-12, increasing Rs 2.161 billion from the previous years Rs 7 billion.
Out of the total allocations, Rs3.4 billion will be utilised in carrying out development projects under Annual Development Programme 2011-12, which is 123 per cent higher than the previous years revised outlay.
The focus of ADP is food security management in holistic manner, emphasis on innovative technologies to bring vertical crop production, increase farmers income through enhanced crop productivity, better support prices and diversified agriculture.
The emphasis is on high value agriculture i.e. fruit and vegetable, efficient water conveyance and application through improved watercourses, precision land levelling and drip and sprinkler irrigation, wheat, rice, cotton and maize by encouraging private sector research, explore renewable and alternate energy sources in agriculture, revamp infrastructure and capacity building of research and extension, develop value chain and enforce input/output certification mechanism, minimise reliance on oil seeds import by boosting local production, efficient market infrastructure to ensure optimal value addition and strengthen research-extension-farmer linkage.
Productivity enhancement measures include promotion of cotton in Thal through pressurised irrigation, mechanised rice transplanting through service providers to achieve optimal plant production per acre, distribution of house-cum-garden plots on lease in southern Punjab, development of command area of mini dams in barani areas, kitchen gardening in big towns and supply chain improvement to provide three tier support to farmers, processors and exporters to enhance export of fruit and vegetable.
Research focus will be on salt affected soil and brackish water to evolve low cost technology in southern Punjab, on biotechnology genetic sciences, establishment of Rice Research Centre at Bahawalnagar, establishment of Mango Research Institute Multan and up gradation of Rice Research Institute Kala shah Kaku.
The government will promote High Efficiency Irrigation System i.e drip and sprinkler, development of command area of Greater Thal Canal and Irrigated Agriculture Productivity Enhancement. The government will also launch pilot project adaptation of bio gas technology to mitigate energy crises, testing of solar irrigation pumps and introduction of solar pumps at subsidised rates.