LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that agriculture is the backbone of the national economy as problems like poverty and unemployment can be overcome through advancement in agriculture and livestock. He said that package of billions of rupees has been given for the first time in the history of the country for farmers’ welfare and agricultural development.
He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of National and Provincial Assembly members belonging to different districts, on Sunday.
The PML-N government has made the development of agriculture and farmers’ prosperity its top priority, he added. The chief minister said that progressive strides have been taken to increase per acre production to change the condition of small farmers and added that resources of billions of rupees have been allocated for self-reliance of small farmers. He said that the programme of provision of interest-free loans to small farmers has been started and landless farmers are also being provided with loans for the first time in the 70 year history of the country.
He said that millions of small farmers will benefit from this programme. The decrease in electricity rates for tube-wells, the supply of fertilisers at cheapest rates and precision of agricultural goods at discounted prices have also facilitated small cultivators, he added. Shehbaz Sharif said that the Kissan Package is the harbinger of a revolution in the agriculture sector. He further said that a transparent and foolproof system through modern technology has been devised to implement the program and billions of rupees, which have been distributed to small farmers.
2 MORE MHUs, 8 AMBULANCES SENT TO KP ON CM’S ORDERS:
Meanwhile, on the instructions of Punjab CM, the health department has taken more steps for diagnosis and treatment of dengue patients in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP); eight ambulances of Punjab Emergency Rescue Service 1122, along with necessary medical equipments and medicines have been sent to Peshawar. Moreover, two more mobile health units have also been dispatched for Peshawar on the instructions of the CM.
Earlier, one mobile health unit had already been dispatched to Peshawar which is providing treatment facilities to the people of the area.
Primary & Secondary Health Provincial Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir, who is present in Peshawar along with his medical team, told that on the directions of Shehbaz Sharif, three CBC analyser machines for blood test of dengue patients and NS-1 kits for dengue tests have also been sent to Peshawar from Lahore. Imran Nazir informed that dengue has been confirmed in 150 persons whose treatment has been started.
Shehbaz Sharif has appreciated the performance of the Punjab Medical team in dealing with the dengue epidemic in KPK. He said that all-out resources and cooperation should be extended to the government and people of the region to save them from the disease. He directed members of medical teams and mobile health units to work round the clock to provide medical services to dengue effected patients. Service to ailing humanity is a form of worship and members of teams should continue their work with this spirit, he added. The chief minister has profoundly praised the endeavors of Khawaja Imran Nazir and his team members.