Punjab Agriculture Minister Ahmed Ali Aulakh said a comprehensive energy roadmap had been evolved to meet agricultural needs through solar energy and biomass and a hefty amount of Rs 10 billion was set aside in the provincial budget 2012-13.
“A plan is also under consideration for promotion of biogas and attractive subsidy is being given to farmers so that the rural population can meet its energy requirements through biomass,” he said.
He said further that solar energy techniques were included in the upcoming World Bank sponsored irrigation project to benefit small farmers. He said it was true that the country was in a serious grip of the energy shortage but the Punjab government had earmarked sufficient funds to build plants to produce electricity in the next fiscal year. He also said that the CM had already offered private parties to build their own power plants to mitigate the power deficit.
Energy roadmap to help farmers: Agri minister
