HYDERABAD - The Sindh government has launched various development schemes in agriculture sector including provision of agriculture tools with financial assistance of the World Bank in order to facilitate the small growers and enhance agricultural production of the province.

This was stated by Sindh Agriculture Minister Muhammad Ismail Rahu while talking to media persons at the ceremony of distribution of auto-loaders through electronic balloting here on Wednesday.

Pakistan is agriculture based country and the contribution of agriculture sector in the national economy is more than other sectors, the minister said and added that the provincial PPP government fully determined to strengthen the agriculture sector by providing maximum incentives to the growers of the province.

He said the provincial government was making all out efforts to uplift the living standard of the small growers and the scheme of providing auto-loaders is one of the plans of the government. Under this scheme which launched with financial assistance of the World Bank, the minister informed that the growers would have to pay only 30 percent amount of the total cost.

The agriculture department had received a total of 7408 applications from small growers in this regard and today electronic balloting held for provision of one thousand auto-loaders to small growers, he informed.

Responding to a question about the cane crushing, the minister informed that sugar mills have started crushing and the government was making all efforts that procurement of cane should be ensured on fixed price.

Replying to another question about the 18th amendment, Muhammad Ismail Rahu said that the amendment has guaranteed the autonomy to provinces and its passage had fulfilled the long standing demand of the provinces. The PPP firmly believed that Pakistan cannot be strengthened without provincial autonomy, he added.

To another question, he said that PPP always demanded across the board accountability instead of targeted accountability.

Responding to another question, the minister said that the growers of Sindh had suffered great pressure because of shortage of 40 percent water during Kharif season and survey is indicating that they would also face 45 percent of shortage during Rabih crops. There was need of judicious distribution of water to provinces so that the growers could not face any inconvenience as a result of shortage of water, he added.

Replying to another question, he said that increase in prices of fertilizers and agriculture equipments would enhance the cost of production which could be harmful for the economy of the country. The share in C-PEC should be awarded to Sindh, he emphasised and added that efforts were being made to incorporate some of the projects of irrigation and agriculture in C-PEC.

The provincial PPP government fully desired to develop the agriculture sector on modern lines so that maximum production could be achieved with utilization of minimum quantum of water, the minister said.