Daily Times

The Punjab Agriculture Department has prepared a comprehensive plan to promote farm mechanisation in the province.

Under the plan, 22 types of machinery, including tractors and harvesters, would be provided to farmers at subsidised rates.

The plan was reviewed in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman at the Civil Secretariat here on Thursday. The Agriculture secretary and officers concerned attended the meeting.

The chief secretary said that agriculture was the backbone of the country’s economy, and the Punjab government was taking all possible steps to improve this vital sector. He said that increased productivity is only potential with modern technology, adding that farm mechanisation would increase crop production and reduce losses. The CS mentioned that using machinery to destroy crop residues would also help control smog.

Agriculture Secretary Nader Chatta gave a detailed briefing at the meeting. He said that the use of modern machinery in sowing and harvesting crops would increase agricultural production significantly. He said that due to the non-use of contemporary machinery, there is a loss of 3 million tons in wheat and 3.6 million tons in rice yield.