LAHORE  -  Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Tuesday distributed e-credit scheme cheques and agri-machinery allotment certificates among the farmers at a ceremony held in his office here. 

Addressing the ceremony, the Chief Minister maintained that the PTI was a genuine farmer-friendly government which had given a full reward to sugarcane farmers for their hard work for the first time. 

He said payment of 99 per cent dues to sugarcane farmers had been ensured in the last two years and support prices of wheat and sugarcane were also being sufficiently increased.

Agri Advisor Abdul Hai Dasti, Parliamentary Secretary (Agriculture) Muhammad Tahir Randhawa, ACS (Agriculture) and others were also present.   

In his keynote address, the CM emphasized that the e-credit scheme limit had been increased to Rs 5,000 for rabi crops and Rs12,000 for Kharif crops to facilitate the farmers. 

He stated that interest-free loans amounting to Rs 35 billion had also been provided to needy farmers during the last two years and another amount of Rs 300 billion was being spent on agri development through the PM Agri Emergency Programme. He said per acre yield was being increased and irrigation facilities had been improved and the latest agri machinery was imperative for this purpose. 

The Punjab government, he said, had provided the latest machinery worth Rs 46 crore at subsidized rates to farmers and an increase of Rs 2.5 billion had been recorded in farmers’ income due to the cultivation of 78,000 acre barren land in two years. 

He announced with pleasure that 80 new varieties of crops had been approved by the agriculture department and Rs6 billion had been earmarked for agri research. 

The CM maintained that additional wheat, gram, and canola crops had been produced due to farmer-friendly steps of the provincial government.

Agriculture Minister Hussain Jehanian Gardezi stated that the promotion of agriculture will boost economic development and the use of the latest machinery will result in increasing per acre yield. 

The CM also inspected the agri machinery exhibition.   

Also, the Chief Minister expressed the satisfaction that the main culprit of the Motorway rape case had been arrested due to the continued efforts of Punjab police and with the blessings of Almighty Allah. 

“It was a high-profile case and I extend congratulations to IG Police and his team as the main accused is under police custody now”, he said, adding that the Punjab Police have traced all the high-profile cases during the two years and arrested the criminals as well. “The accused will face legal action and the case will be brought to its logical end”, he added. The CM also announced Rs 5 million reward for the investigation team. 

CM takes notice of pie-dogs’ attack in Rahim Yar Khan

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has sought a report from Commissioner and RPO Bahawalpur about pie-dogs’ biting of children in Rahim Yar Khan and directed to take action against those responsible for negligence.

He also extended sympathies to bereaved heirs and expressed sorrow over the passing away of two children.