BAHAWALPUR - Prime Minister Imran Khan said Wednesday that farmers are an “asset” of the country and the present government was following a vision to double their income to achieve higher economic growth, ensure food security and check poverty and inflation.
Addressing Kissan Convention, he said, “We have a vision to double the income of farmers. They will invest their income in agriculture, which will benefit Pakistan and help reduce poverty, decrease prices of food items and check price-hike.”
The prime minister mentioned with pride that owing to the government’s policy enhancing support prices of various agricultural crops including wheat, sugarcane and maize, the growers secured Rs1100 billions of additional income during the previous fiscal years.
He further said with initial two years spent on economic stabilisation due to various inherited challenges on the economic front, his government had finally put the country on the path of economic recovery and achieved around 4 percent GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth during the fiscal year 2020-21.
The prime minister also launched the provincial government’s Kissan Card scheme during the convention, which was also addressed by Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for National Food Security Jamshed Iqbal Cheema.
Initiative will help farmers get direct subsidy on various agricultural inputs
Prime Minister Imran Khan said that as farmers were the country’s precious asset, today’s Kissan Convention would send a clear message that the country would move forward by helping the farmers.
He said that with a mere 26,000 growers having the agricultural lands of over 125 acres each, the country had around 8.4 million of hardworking small farmers, who were the core of this country as well as the agriculture sector.
The prime minister noted with pleasure that contrary to the past, when sugarcane growers had to sell their produce at lower rates due to exploitation by the powerful sugar millers, the growers this year got higher prices and earned extra profits due to the passage of a law which bounded the sugar millers to start crushing of the produce at particular dates.
He said that due to the record production of wheat, sugar, rice and maize this year, the growers earned Rs 1100 billions of extra income.
The prime minister said that the unprecedented higher sales of motorcycle in the rural areas also depicted increase in the income of farmers. He, however, added that growth in the country’s agricultural produce did not match with population growth which went up from 40 million (West Pakistan) in 1947 to 225 million at present. He said that despite a bumper wheat crop, the country had to import 4 million tons of wheat to cater to the needs of people.
The prime minister stressed on the need of enhanced research and development in agriculture to achieve higher production of various crops. He said that Pakistan which had been bestowed by Allah Almighty with 12 climatic zones had a lot of potential in agriculture sector and could grow all agricultural commodities by using advanced technology and adopting modern techniques not only for local consumption but for exports as well.
The prime minister referred to the principles of the State of Madina, introduced by Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) for the uplift of poor and said that China by adopting the similar principles lifted its people out of poverty during the last 35 years.
He said that the provision of Kissan Cards by the provincial government to the farmers in Punjab would help them getting direct subsidy on various agricultural inputs. The PTI governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, AJK and Gilgit Baltistan would also be asked the follow the Kissan Card scheme, he added.
The prime minister also mentioned the introduction of health card scheme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab as his government’s major achievement for the provision health insurance coverage to masses under which a family had Rs one million free of cost health facility from any public or private hospital for one year.
Imran Khan said that even before coming into politics, he used to think if he got a chance to serve the country he would introduce the health insurance scheme, adding, the universal health insurance scheme introduced by his government was not available even in the rich countries.
He also mentioned the construction of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospitals in Lahore and Peshawar and said 70% of cancer patients were treated free of cost at the hospitals.
The prime minister said he got the ideal constructing free cancer hospital after his mother suffered from the disease and he felt that how the poor could afford the expensive treatment of such a disease.
He assured that the federal as well as the provincial government would extend every possible help to the farmers to bring about prosperity in the country and for the well-being of people in rural areas.
The prime minister also presented shields to Vice Chancellor Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB) Dr Prof Athar Mehmoob, Dr Prof Iqbal and Dr Ali for their services in the field of agricultural research and development.
Bahawalpur’s iconic Islamia University
Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday inaugurated various projects at Islamia University in Bahawalpur including the National Cotton Breeding Institute in view of the importance of the cash crop.
The institute will bring innovation in cotton cultivation by conducting research on low-yielding crop within limited resources. The researched varieties have so far given an increase of 20 percent with use of 40 percent less water, 50 percent less pesticide and 35 percent reduced cost.
The prime minister also inaugurated the Inter-cropping Research Center, where initially research is being carried out to increase soybean and maize production through strip-intercropping. An increased soybean production will increase farmers’ income, reduce imports and make Pakistan more self-sufficient in edible oil. A world-class nursing college was also inaugurated at the university, which will help build the capacity of the existing workforce and provide employment opportunities to the youth of South Punjab.
The prime minister opened a cricket stadium at the Baghdad Al-Jadeed campus of Islamia University to promote the sport.
He inaugurated a 2.5 megawatt solar project to meet the energy needs of Islamia University.
The project not only has the capacity to meet the needs of the university, but will also provide additional power to MEPCO.
The power centre will generate electricity at the cost of Rs1.7 per unit and benefit the national exchequer by Rs455 million in 25 years.
PM visits Lal Suhanra, inaugurates plantation drive
Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday visited Lal Suhanra National Park and inaugurated a plantation drive by planting sapling of Pilkin as part of 10 Billion Trees Tsunami Programme.
The prime minister was briefed about livestock, wildlife and flora and fauna of Cholistan and Lal Suhanra National Park. He was screened a documentary about the use of drones in plantation.
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Federal Minister for Industry and Production Khusro Bakhtiar, Federal Minister for Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul, Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht and others were also present on the occasion.