Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The government has released Rs 1,011.04 million (Rs 1.011 billion) under Public Sector Development Program ( PSDP) 2017-18 for different research and developmental projects of Ministry of National Food Security and Research as against the total allocations of Rs 1,615.969 million for current fiscal year.

According the data of Planning Commission of Pakistan, during last three quarters of current financial year, the government had released Rs 305 million for the promotion of olive cultivation on commercial scales across the country as an amount of Rs 500 million had been allocated for the above mentioned projects in order to enhance the domestic production of edible oil to reduce the import cost of the commodity to fulfill the domestic requirements.

Under PSDP 2017-18, the government has released Rs 199.016 million for national pesticides residue monitoring system in the county as against the total allocation of 284 million during the period under review.

In order to exploit the agriculture and livestock potentials of tribal areas of the country, the government had allocated Rs 181.833 million for up-gradation of Arid Zone Research Institute to the level arid zone research center and establishment of new adaptive research cum demonstration institute at Seakch, Wana, South Waziristan Agency, Miranshah, North Waziristan Agencies, Tank and Motora, Laki Marwat and released Rs 127.284 million.

Under the development program, Rs 103.275 million was released for risk based control of foot and mouth diseases in Pakistan as against the total allocation of Rs 134.920 million for fiscal year 2017-18.

In order to promote aqua feed production in the country to promote the aquaculture in the country , an amount of Rs 40.174 million had been released for aqua feed production in Pakistan for commercially important cultureable fishes as Rs 48.174 million was earmarked for the project during current year.

So far the government has released Rs 14 million each for commercialization of soyabean crop on pilot scale in Pakistan and establishment of animal quarantine station at Gwadar, where as Rs 20 million was respectively allocated these projects.

Published in Daily Times, April 24^th 2018.