Daily Times

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Food Security and Agriculture Jamshed Iqbal Cheema has said that the government has launched a restructuring plan for the government organisations and institutions in order to further improve their performance.

Addressing a press conference at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) during his visit to Faisalabad on Saturday, he rejected rumours about privatization of the institutes and said that the government had no intention to render jobless highly educated researchers and scientists. However, their salaries are linked with performance system.

“The best performers will get more incentives under this system,” he said, adding that the research fund was also being regulated so that the researchers could get necessary funding easily without running from pillar to post.

He said the government was trying its best to enhance agriculture yield by strengthening linkages between government, researchers and farmers.

He said that the scientists and researchers must mould themselves in accordance with the new system so that Pakistan could regain its repute as an agricultural country.

He said the government might hire the services of near retirement scientists and agriculture experts on the basis of their performance.

He urged scientists to play their productive role and develop new technologies and products to strengthen the national economy. He said that commercialization of their innovations could bring repute along with financial benefits for the researchers and agriculture scientists.

He said the government strictly believes in merit and best salary packages would be offered to the “right person for right job”. The promotion, facilities and perks would also be linked with the performance, he added.

He said he was visiting Faisalabad along with Dr Ishrat Hussain, adviser to prime minister on institutional reforms and austerity, to have detailed discussions and seek recommendations from the officials of AARI, NIAB (National Institute for Agriculture & Biology), PARS (Postgraduate Agriculture Research Station), NIEBGE (National Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering) and other departments regarding the transformation.

He said the media should also focus on positivity instead of presenting negative view of the government policies. He said that as a result of institutional reforms, the performance and income of the growers have increased substantially.

He said that an average increase of 90% was recorded in the prices of food and energy while prices of wheat and rice witnessed 34% increase, maize 51%, edible oil 60-70%, poultry 54%, beef 10% fertilizers 34-154%, Urea 95%, PSD 120% and DPA price 122% increase.

He said that corona responsible of inflation and price-hike and said that Pakistan was the 3rd country after Hong Kong and New Zeeland which effectively controlled the pandemic.

He He said that during corona only 5 countries recorded growth including China, Vietnam, Egypt and Pakistan. He said that economy of 188 countries went into negative from -3 to -28.

He said that the government, under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, intended to develop food processing industry as 2nd largest sector after textile.

He said that most of the commodities commonly imported would be available in Pakistan in abundance within a next couple of years as the government was focusing on enhancing its domestic production.

He said that we have carved out a policy to enhance production of fruits and vegetables up to 30% and wheat up to 80%. He said that government intends to make Pakistan a net food exporting country and in order to ensure food security, the government has allocated Rs 62 billion for agriculture sector and this amount would be increased next year.

He said the previous government had allocated Rs 1.6 billion for this purpose, he added.

He further said that steps are also being taken for speedy growth of livestock sector and in this connection; best breeds of animals and birds are being promoted.

He said that the government had allocated Rs10 billion for research work on improvement of breeds.Earlier, SAPM Jamshed Iqbal Cheema also visited NIEBGE and discussed various issues with the scientists and officials.