Maryam Nawaz, the first female Chief Minister of Punjab, has given her approval for the implementation of the ‘Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card’, aimed at providing assistance to farmers in the province, as reported by ARY News.
Chairing a meeting focused on agricultural reforms, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz sanctioned the ‘Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card’ program, which offers various subsidies to farmers. This initiative is set to provide loans totaling Rs 150 billion to 500,000 small farmers in Punjab within a year, with each farmer eligible for a loan of Rs 30,000 per acre of agricultural land.
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During the meeting, CM Maryam Nawaz emphasized the establishment of model agriculture centers in every district of the province in collaboration with the private sector. These centers aim to eliminate the use of counterfeit fertilizers and medicines among farmers.
Additionally, plans were made to compile comprehensive data on crop production and demand, and to establish a state-of-the-art center of excellence for research and development focused on cotton, wheat, and rice crops.
Administrative affairs will be overseen through a board, and efforts will be made to integrate the research center with regional universities. A research development center costing Rs 2 billion will be constructed at the Agricultural University Faisalabad in collaboration with China.
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Further initiatives include modernizing the Agricultural Extension Wing, recruiting 500 agricultural graduates, reviewing the restructuring of the Punjab Seed Corporation and the Punjab Agricultural Research Board, and proposing legislation to prevent agricultural land from being used for residential purposes.