The Punjab government has allocated a total of Rs 379 billion with Rs123 billion in development and Rs256 billion in non-development funds for agriculture, livestock, irrigation & water sectors in the next fiscal year.
In his budget speech on the floor of Punjab Assembly during the budget session here Monday, the Provincial Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said, agriculture is the backbone of the economy and farmers’ prosperity is surely guarantee economic development. “When we came into power, the agriculture sector and farmers were facing numerous problems, however, our government adopted the Farmer Centric Approach, bringing the troubled farmers towards modern agriculture by eliminating exploitative tactics,” he mentioned. The government, cited, has initiated revolutionary projects to transfer financial resources and provide modern agricultural machinery and equipment at subsidized rates. In the next two to three years, the farmers and entire agricultural sector would reap its benefits. Like the current financial year 24-25, a huge fund of Rs 80 billion has been allocated for the development of the agriculture sector in the next financial year as well, which is 24 percent higher more than the current financial year.
During the current FY, he said, provincial government has also launched the Green Tractor Scheme to promote agricultural production and enable farmers to access modern machinery, under which 9,500 farmers were provided with tractors at affordable prices at a cost of Rs. 9.7 billion. Apart from the agricultural sector, this scheme has also proved beneficial in controlling environmental pollution. Therefore, Phase-II of this scheme would be launched in the next financial year at a cost of Rs. 5.5 billion. In addition, a new program called High Power Tractor Programme is being launched by Punjab Chief Minister in the next budget with allocation of Rs. 10 billion.
Considering the overwhelming response of the Kisan Card and Solarization of Agricultural Tube Wells schemes launched during FY 2024-25, it has been decided to continue these schemes in the next financial year as well, for which Rs 63 billion and Rs 87 billion have been allocated respectively. During the current FY, he said, interest-free agricultural loans worth more than Rs 106 billion were provided to about one million small farmers across Punjab through Kisan Card enabling farmers to increase agricultural production by obtaining timely inputs such as pesticides, fertilizers and other inputs.
A huge amount of about Rs 1 billion is being allocated in the FY 2025-26 for the Revival of Citrus Sector Programme aiming to not only increase Kinnow production in Punjab but also enhance its export internationally.
Punjab Finance Minister assured that construction, conservation and rational use of water reservoirs for agricultural purposes in Punjab would be ensured in the next financial year.
CM’s Punjab for Water Efficient Agriculture project is also being launched at a cost of Rs 8 billion (2025-27), under which concrete lining of 1200 water channels would be completed. Moreover, CM Punjab High Tech Farm Mechanization Financing Programme and Agricultural Farm Mechanization Project would be launched at a cost of Rs 9 billion and Rs 7 billion respectively.
Under both these projects, he said, interest-free loans and subsidy would be provided to farmers for import and local purchase of modern agricultural machinery like Super Seeders, Combine Harvesters, Rice Harvesters, Rice Transplanters, and Barlers. The government ensured the purchase of Super Seeders 3000 by providing 60 percent subsidy to farmers in the fiscal year 2024-25, which not only helped in preventing environmental pollution through stubble burning but also made it possible to increase agricultural production.
In addition, a new scheme of Transformation of Agriculture in Pothohar area would be launched with a cost Rs 7 billion for cultivation of highly profitable crops through modern irrigation systems, solar pumps, small dams and modern training to the landowners of Pothohar.
A hefty fund of Rs. 15 billion has been allocated for Crop Insurance Scheme to protect farmers from agricultural losses resulting from natural disasters and climate change, while Rs 14 billion is also being allocated for ongoing projects of agricultural water channels, drip irrigation and solarization.
“Livestock is the mainstay of our economy, and in view of the importance of this sector, a Herd Transformation Programme is being introduced in the next fiscal year at a cost of Rs 6 billion to increase livestock production, he said and added that at a cost of Rs 2 billion, the government is establishing zones where effective control of foot and mouth disease is achieved so that exports related to dairy and protein farming can be further increased.
Similarly, the CM Punjab Livestock Card Scheme, which was first introduced at a cost of Rs 44 billion, is being continued in the financial year 2025-26 with funds of Rs 1 billion. In the year 2024-25, loans worth Rs 1.26 billion were provided to 14,000 small and medium farmers at the rate of Rs 27,000 per animal under this scheme.
Mian Mujtaba said that canal system is of fundamental importance in the agricultural economy of Punjab. In the next financial year, he said, the Punjab government has proposed various projects for the development of water resources, improvement and re-modeling of canal structures. A huge amount of Rs 25 billion will be allocated for three broad-based projects in the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26: i) Establishment of Water Reservoirs, Water Conservation & Water use Efficiency, (ii) Water Infrastructure Development, and (iii) Establishment of Water Storage. These schemes would help conserve the precious resource like water; ensure its economical use; improve agricultural economy by developing urban water supply system in rural areas on modern lines.
Moreover, the restoration and re-modeling of link canals, which had been neglected for the last six decades, are being been given special importance in the next budget. In this regard, about Rs 1 billion has been allocated for the re-modeling of the canal from Rasool to Qadirabad, besides allocation of Rs 1.2 billion for the restoration of the Qadirabad-Balluki link canal and lining of other priority canals.
Similarly, a project to construct a New Ravi Syphon has also been proposed to address the water shortage in Kasur and Pinduki divisions, for which Rs. 9 billion has been proposed.
The minister said that an estimated Rs 4.2 billion has also been allocated for the construction of Pari Syedan Dam with a capacity of 18,256 acre-feet to irrigate up to 12,280 acres of agricultural land in Rawalpindi district.