KHANEWAL - Punjab Livestock, Irrigation, Agriculture, and Forest Minister Malik Ahmad Aulakh has stated that the Punjab government has allocated Rs19 billion for the development of agriculture sector in the province. He was addressing the participants of a seminar organised by Pakistan Farmers Forum at the farm of Nawab Farhat Ullah Khan in village Kot Barket Ali, Mian Channu here the other day. Aulakh said that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was keen to resolve the problems of farmers and in this connection Rs19 billion would be spent on different projects pertaining to the introduction of solar energy tube wells, bio-gas plants, lining of canals and laser leveller. He also informed that with the amount of Rs2 billion, agricultural specialists have started research works at the Punjab Agriculture Research Board. The government is interested in the introduction of a virus-free cotton seed and research work for the purpose is being carried out with the agriculture scientists from China, Iran and other cotton producing countries, he pointed out. Ahmad Ali Aulak claimed that the PML-N government has provided 20,000 tractors at subsidised prices to small farmers across the province which would result in the development of agriculture. The Punjab government provided Rs4 billion as subsidy on these tractors to benefit the farmers, he claimed, adding that Pakistan is a agricultural based country and about 65 to 70 per cent of the population is directly or indirectly attached with the agriculture. But the situation is alarming as the contribution of agriculture sector to the national GDP is only 21 per cent and the Punjab government has been striving to enhance this ratio up to 30 per cent in the future, the minister elaborated. Aulakh argued that the Punjab government is taking stern action against the hoarders and black-marketers of fertilizers and other agriculture inputs, adding that a large number of pesticides and fertilizers dealers involved in the practice have been booked during the campaign so far.