Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the Kissan Card programme was transforming the lives of farmers and helping them achieve financial independence.
In a statement, she said Punjab’s farmers would no longer remain indebted to commission agents (aarhtis) and would be able to live with dignity. The chief minister said it was her vision to see farmers of the province moving towards financial autonomy and prosperity through modern agricultural reforms.
She said that under the government’s initiative to introduce innovation in the agriculture sector, more than 832,000 farmers across Punjab had been issued Kissan Cards for the first time. Through the scheme, farmers had utilised loans amounting to Rs2.54 billion, while during the wheat season agricultural inputs worth over Rs100 billion were purchased using the facility.
The CM said recoveries amounting to Rs67 billion were due from 538,000 farmers and an encouraging recovery rate of 86 per cent had been achieved. She added that farmers had set an exemplary precedent by repaying instalments worth Rs57 billion on time.
CM Maryam Nawaz said that for the ongoing kharif crop season, agricultural inputs worth Rs90 billion had been made available through the Kissan Card programme. So far, around 300,000 farmers had obtained agricultural inputs valued at Rs30 billion under the scheme.
She said the Kissan Card was changing the fortunes of Punjab’s farming community and ensuring that farmers were no longer dependent on middlemen for financial support. The chief minister also appreciated farmers for the timely repayment of agricultural loans, saying they had demonstrated responsibility and commitment by setting an outstanding example.