By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has presented the budget of Punjab for the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26 in the assembly for approval.Budget is Farmers Friendly and truely reflects the Public Aspirations according to the vision of the Chief Minister Punjab. The total budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 is Rs 5335 billion. The development budget for the next fiscal year has been estimated at Rs 1240 billion, while Rs 2706.5 billion has been allocated for non-developmental expenses.
Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, while commenting on the budget, pointed out that undoubtedly, the improvement of agriculture and the development of farmers are the guarantee of the prosperity of Pakistan.
Around 23 percent of the national GDP and 42.3 percent of Pakistan’s total workforce are linked to the agriculture sector. He stated that the supply of raw materials for various industries and the increase in foreign exchange through the export of agricultural products are also due to agriculture. A lot of misinformation has been spread regarding our agricultural policies. Our government has decided to abandon the old and tried methods in the agricultural sector, which not only led to the exploitation of farmers. The government has decided to launch practical projects to bring farmers towards modern agriculture. The government is going to allocate Rs 129.8 billion for the agriculture sector in the next fiscal year budget, which has been increased by 10.7 percent compared to the previous fiscal year. Rs 6.3 billion has been allocated for the Kissan Card Scheme, while Rs 8.7 billion has been allocated for the Solarization of Agricultural Tube Wells Program. A huge amount of about Rs 1 billion is being allocated for the citrus sector revival program in the next fiscal year. The aim of which is not only to increase the production of quinoa in Punjab but also to increase its exports internationally. In the next fiscal year, the Chief Minister Punjab for Water Efficient Agriculture 2025-27 project has also been launched at a cost of Rs 8 billion to ensure the construction and conservation of water reservoirs for agricultural purposes in Punjab and their efficient use. is being launched. In addition, CM Punjab Hi-Tech Farm Mechanization Financing Program at a cost of Rs 9 billion and Agriculture Farm Mechanization Project at a cost of Rs 7 billion are also being introduced. A new scheme for Transformation of Agriculture in Pothohar at a cost of Rs 7 billion is being made part of the budget. Under the Crop Insurance Scheme, funds of Rs 1.5 billion have been allocated in the next financial year. In addition, Rs 14 billion have been allocated for ongoing projects of agricultural sheds, drip irrigation and solarization. We have focused all our attention on providing direct benefits to the farmer.
The Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock further endorsed that the livestock sector is of great importance for the rural economy. 14 percent of the country’s GDP and 63 percent of the agricultural sector are based on livestock, while 40 percent of the income of more than 8 million rural families is linked to this sector. He said that in this regard, our government has initiated such reforms in the livestock sector through which the production of milk and meat can be increased as well as the cost of production can be reduced. In the next financial year, a herd transformation program is being introduced at a cost of Rs 6 billion to increase livestock production. At a cost of Rs 2 billion, the government is establishing such zones where effective control over foot and mouth disease can be achieved so that exports related to dairy and protein farming can increase. Similarly, funds of Rs 1 billion are being allocated in the next financial year under the Chief Minister Punjab Livestock Card Scheme.
The provincial minister highlighted that this is a brilliant and comprehensive summary of our revolutionary manifesto through which we are paving the way for unprecedented development in the agriculture and livestock sectors that will not only meet the needs of the present era but will also lead Punjab towards a bright future.
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