Rs 1.16b Being Spent To Provide Agri Machinery To Farmers On Subsidy

MULTAN, (Muzaffargarh.City -9th Sept,2016) : The Punjab government continued to move ahead with the two-year project to provide agriculture machinery to farmers of 2,486 rural union councils and a sum of Rs 1.16 billion was being spent as subsidy.

Like other parts of Punjab, draws were also held in all tehsils of 11 districts in South Punjab to provide agriculture machinery to farmers in 64 union councils of Multan district, 74 UCs in Vehari, 83 in Khanewal, 62 in Lodhran, 78 in Bahawalpur, 95 in Bahawalnagar, 97 in Rahimyar Khan, 51 in Dera Ghazi Khan, 80 in Muzaffargarh, 36 in Rajanpur, and 38 in Layyah.

One farmers from each union council, selected through a process of draw, was being provided a set of machinery, and the Punjab government was providing Rs 211,000 subsidy on each set of machinery that can be utilized for crops, including cotton, wheat, paddy, maize, sugarcane, and peanut.

PML-N MPA Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi told the media that farmers of 64 Ucs of Multan who own six acre area would be provided agriculture machinery at a price that is being subsidized by the government by 50 per cent.

Assistant Commissioner City Malik Ataul Haq said a set of agriculture machinery comprises four machines and its price was Rs 422,000. However, half of its price ie Rs 211,000 would be paid by the government, he added.

District Officer Agriculture Chaudhry Naseer said hollow cone nozzles were also being distributed free among farmers of 418 villages of Multan through draw at the rate of three hollow cone nozzles per village.

He said a set of agriculture machinery being provided to farmers through a draw comprises a Rotovator, Rabi Drill, Disc Harrow and Chisel Plough. The successful farmers have been held bound to provide the machinery to other farmers after charging nominal rent, he said.