ISLAMABAD : Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF) President Mian Zahid Hussain on Wednesday lauded Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif for allocating additional resources for the development of agriculture.
“The allocation of Rs147 billion for agriculture and its sub-sectors is a welcome step, which will also have a positive impact on livestock, irrigation, forestry and food,” he said.
Also praising the federal government for taking steps to revive the ailing sector, Hussain said now Punjab had followed it, which was a welcome development, as this sector was considered backbone of the economy. Hussain said that promotion of agriculture was must for increasing GDP, enhancing industrial development, raising income of the rural population and strengthening financial position of the growers.
He also demanded a proper mechanism to regularly monitor the agriculture policies, position of the farmers and contribution by the sector to the national exchequer.
He said that landlords should not dominate the entire sector, and the small farmers should also be given due share in the relief as it was vital for reviving the declining agricultural sector.
He heaved a sigh of relief that agriculture was no more a neglected sector, because it would be strengthened due to the efforts of the government.
He also called for including small farmers in the policymaking process in future.