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Punjab budget: Farmers' organizations criticise govt

LAHORE-Various farmers' organizations have criticized the provincial government on allocating relatively less resources for the uplift of agriculture sector in the Punjab Budget 2001-02.

President Anjuman Kashkaran, former minister and prominent agriculturist, Sultan Ali Chaudhry has termed the budget allocations for agriculture sector insufficient saying that the reduction in Annual Development Programme for agriculture related projects was not a wise decision of the government. Instead, he demanded, government should earmark at least Rs 2 billion doe Agriculture Research. He said that there was no special incentive for the much needed agriculture sector in the budget.

He was of the firm opinion that it was need of the hour that government should have taken drastic measures for the uplift of agriculture besides the fact that our economy was also based on this sector. Sultan Ali also demanded to increase the budget of Irrigation related projects, especially keeping in view the persistent drought conditions. As we are facing constant water shortage, he said, there is dire need to earmark more and more resources for conservation of water.

Secretary General Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) Mian Muhammad Ilyas also expressed their dissatisfaction over the announcement of provincial budget. He said that reduction in ADB and other agriculture budget proved that government was not sincere with the farming community. He demanded of the government to re-consider budget allocations for agriculture sector. The KBP leader was of the view that the country could not be attain self-sufficiency in production of food grain until sufficient funds are not allocated.

He also termed funds allocation for Irrigation and water conservation projects inadequate saying that absence of rains and paucity of water severely affected the agriculture and livestock sector.

28-06-01

Related Stories:

• Budget Special
• Cut in Punjab Agriculture Budget 2001-02