Latest news with #WheatSupportProgramme
Business Recorder
20 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Green tractor scheme: applications will be received from 13th
LAHORE: The Punjab government will begin receiving applications for the second phase of Chief Minister's Green Tractor Programme from August 13, 2025, offering substantial subsidies to farmers in a bid to modernise agriculture and boost productivity. Under this phase, 10,000 locally-manufactured tractors of 50-65 horsepower will be provided with a Rs. 500,000 subsidy each, while another 10,000 locally-manufactured or imported tractors of 75-125 horsepower will be subsidised at Rs. 1 million each. Digital balloting at the tehsil level is scheduled for September 15. Announcing the initiative at a review meeting on ongoing projects under the transforming Punjab agriculture programme, Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said the provincial government was committed to 'revolutionary programmes' aimed at uplifting farmers' incomes. He revealed that under the high-tech financing programme for the next fiscal year, farmers will receive 11 types of modern agricultural machinery on subsidy, with 1,000 units to be distributed. A budget of Rs. 30 billion has been allocated, offering interest-free loans of up to Rs. 30 million, repayable over five years, for machinery purchase. In water management, the Chief Minister's Water Conservation Project will line 1,400 watercourses and distribute 500 laser land levellers this year, with another 500 next year via transparent balloting. The Minister said the kissan card scheme remains a flagship project, enabling timely purchase of agricultural inputs. In its second phase, Rs. 94.15 billion has been allocated, with farmers already utilising Rs. 49.33 billion. Under the Chief Minister's Wheat Support Programme, Rs. 14 billion has been disbursed and 978 tractors distributed through transparent balloting. The province is also expanding its model agriculture malls, with facilities in Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Sargodha completed and 10 more planned in the next phase. The meeting was attended by Special Secretary Agriculture Nabeel Awan, Additional Secretary Agriculture Planning Aamir Shehzad, Director Generals Ch. Abdul Hameed, Naveed Asmat Kahloon, Engineer Sajid Hassan, Rana Tajammul, and other senior officials. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Punjab Agri Dept, Margalla Heavy Industries Taxila sign MoU
LAHORE: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed Monday between the Agriculture Department Punjab and Margalla Heavy Industries Limited, Taxila, to carry out the repair and maintenance of 20 bulldozers from the field wing of the agriculture department Punjab by the heavy industries. The MoU was signed in the presence of Minister for Agriculture Punjab Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani and Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo at a ceremony at the Agriculture House, Lahore. The MoU was formally signed by Director General Field (Agriculture), Sajid Naseer, and Chief Executive Officer of Heavy Industries Taxila, Brigadier Nadeem Ahmed. Brigadier Jawad (r) from Heavy Industries Taxila, Special Secretary Agriculture Agha Nabeel Akhtar, Additional Secretary Agriculture (Planning) Captain Waqas Rasheed, and Additional Director General (Engineering) Multan, Afzal Tahir were also present on this occasion. Following the signing ceremony, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Punjab, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, chaired a review meeting on the Chief Minister's Wheat Support Programme and Kisan Card Phase II. Speaking at the meeting, the Minister stated that under these programmes, disbursement of funds to farmers through the Bank of Punjab will commence on May 22. He was informed that 487,000 farmers have already repaid their loans under the first phase of the Kisan Card scheme. He emphasized that to benefit from all agricultural initiatives of the government, possession of a Kisan Card must be made mandatory. He further noted that the scope of Kisan Card Phase II has been expanded, increasing the loan limit to Rs300,000, eliminating transaction charges, and introducing a facility for diesel purchase. In addition to Kisan Card holders, other farmers are also applying for the wheat support program via the dedicated portal, with 250,000 applications already received. The deadline to apply for this program is May 31. Through the same portal, an additional 100,000 farmers can register for new Kisan Cards. A total of Rs10 billion will be distributed among 500,000 farmers under the wheat support programme. The Bank of Punjab has approved over 542,000 farmer applications for Kisan Card Phase II, and the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) has completed verification for nearly 500,000 of them. Iftikhar Ali Sahoo stressed the need to intensify the awareness campaign across social media, electronic media, and print media to ensure that more farmers can benefit from the government's loans and incentives. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
