KARACHI - The Sindh government has allocated Rs 6.167 billion for the development of agriculture sector while the proposed allocation would be utilised on 37 new and ongoing schemes.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah, while presenting the budget for 2013-14, said the focus of this budget is optimal utilization of the resources to achieve our objectives of socio-economic development.
In budget speech, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah said agriculture has been the mainstay of our economy with over 60 percent of our population deriving their subsistence from it, contributes 23% to GDP. Sindh province contribution in rice production is 32%, in sugarcane 24%, in cotton 21% and in wheat 12%.
As a result of elected government’s concern for agriculture sector, discernible in the form of accelerated farm mechanization activities such as provision of agricultural implements, subsidy on farm tractors, precision land leveling equipment, provision of seed & fertilizer, installation of tube wells on subsidy, developing agricultural land through bulldozers and preventive pre-harvest measures carried out by the Agriculture Department; production of cotton and sugarcane has risen by 44.25% and 48% respectively, he added.
The total budget allocation for agriculture in FY 2012-13 was Rs 9.71 billion, out of which Rs 5.45 billion were allocated for Development.
CM said our performance can be gauged on basis of assistance for procurement of 9,000 tractors, procurement of 24 new bulldozers. Wheat variety Benazir 2012 having potential yield of 87 maunds/acre has been introduced for general cultivation in Sindh. For promotion of mechanized farming subsidy was provided to 14,076 farmers for rractors. 986 wheat and paddy threshers have been provided to farmers on 50% subsidized rates, 250 laser land leveling equipment have been provided to farmers on 50% subsidized rates, 1,762 tubewells have been installed on 50% subsidized cost on farmer’s fields, 5,268 watercourses have been improved under On-Farm Water Management Project.
Sprinkler systems have been installed on 2,590 acres (80% cost borne by the government and 20% by farmers), drip irrigation system on 1,025 acres and rain guns on 2,296 acres have been installed by providing 80% subsidy. 4,116 jobless youth were trained in different fields of agriculture through Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Program.