LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Minister Naeem Akhtar Khan Bhabha Saturday said that the Punjab government has started projects worth Rs 2.25 billion to promote modern system of irrigation and technology.
Talking to reporters, the minister said that the ongoing projects included drip/sprinkle irrigation system for which the government was providing 60 per cent subsidy, installation of tunnel with 50 per cent subsidy, while 80 per cent subsidy was being given for running drip irrigation system on solar system.
Bhabha said that from the fiscal year 2016 till now, the drip irrigation system had been installed on more than 11,000 acres of land, tunnel farming had been started on more than 350 acres of land, and drip/ sprinkle irrigation system with solar system had been installed on an area of more than 1,500 acres.
“Water is very essential for the growth of crops, and the government is making sincere efforts to facilitate farmers in boosting the yield of different crops,” he added.
The minister said that the Punjab government had given historic package worth billions of rupees for development of agriculture sector and prosperity of farmers, adding that each penny of this package was being spent on the welfare of the farmers only. Under this agriculture package, the farmers were being given relief at their doorsteps, he concluded.