Govt committed to development of agriculture sector on priority: PM

Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan said this week that the present government, keeping in view vital role of agriculture in country’s development and the prosperity of farmers, was committed to develop this sector on priority.
Presiding over the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Agriculture here, he said that agriculture sector was not given any special attention after 1960.
Special Assistants to PM Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Dr. Shehbaz Gill, Member Economc Advisory Council Abid Qayyum Sulehri and senior officers were in attendance.

While Governor State Bank Dr. Raza Baqir, Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Balochistan and other relevant officers attended the meeting via video link.
The Prime Minister, in view of the encouraging production of wheat, maize, rice, sugarcane and potato during the last two years, directed to formulate a clear roadmap based on solid steps for the revival of different sectors of agriculture across the country under the new vision of agricultural development and ensure the provision of more facilities to farmers along with a conducive environment.

Stressing for utilization of the forum of NCC on Agriculture for immediate resolution of the issues coming in way of agricultural development and effective and timely decision making through continuous monitoring of development and consultation with all stakeholders, he said the development of agriculture sector was now among the country’s foremost priorities.
The government in that respect would take all possible measures, the Prime Minister maintained.

The meeting was briefed in detail about the implementation of a coordinated strategy formulated in consultation with all stakeholders as well as short-term, medium-term and long-term roadmap for development of country’s agriculture sector, revival of livestock and prosperity of farmers.

Special Assistant to PM Jamshed Iqbal Cheema apprised the meeting of the record production of wheat, rice, maize, sugarcane and potato during the last years and the dividends gained by growers in the form of fair returns of their produce due to the present government’s farmer-friendly policies, adding, the appropriate prices of agriculture produce had restored the confidence of growers.

In fact, the government of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), by providing subsidy to farmers and fixing better support prices of agriculture production, had ended the exploitation of growers, he added.

Giving a comparative review of international agriculture model with that of Pakistan, the Special Assistant presented the country’s proposed future agriculture model, which gave special attention to the revival of livestock and the quality production of vegetables and fruits.

Provincial Chief Secretaries briefed the meeting about progress on the budgetary PC-1 of agriculture development projects relating to Kissan Card, Research, Nursery Development, Food Processing and utilization of Information Technology in their respective provinces.

The participants were also briefed about the encouraging production of wheat in the country this year.