LAHORE (February 12 2004): Punjab government has disbursed loans worth over 5.35 billion of rupees for rabi crop, which would help out small farmers for the purchase of seed, fertiliser and pesticides etc.

Punjab Revenue Minister Gul Hameed Khan said this here on Wednesday during a meeting.

The minister further said that around 99 percent of the total amount have been disbursed with a ratio of Rs 60,000 per farmer.

The government has facilitated around 89,000 small farmers of Punjab through Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd, he added.

Meanwhile, Punjab Livestock Minister Syed Haroon Sultan, during a meeting, said that the government was undertaking effective measures to pull the poultry industry out of current crisis.

He said that the department was utilising all available resources to counter the situation and it was also launching a campaign for apprising the people about real situation of bird-flu.

The minister also constituted a five-member committee, which would be headed by DG Livestock, for the facilitation of those poultry farmers, who intend to offer various incentives to the poultry sector, including tax waiver.

The committee would submit its recommendations to the minister within a week.

"Some areas of Sindh had H-9 and H-7 virus, which was not harmful to human health. There was no report of the virus in Punjab, however the government has adopted preventive measures, " he clarified.

Courtesy Business Recorder