Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Thursday inaugurated the wheat harvesting campaign, 2020 in Matwa Village of Rojhan Tehsil in Rajanpur district by cutting the crop with harvester and also prayed for the success of the campaign.
Speaking on this occasion, the CM said that this year’s wheat procurement target is fixed at 4.5 million metric tonnes and the wheat will be procured at the rate of Rs1400 per maund. The restriction of gardawari has been done away with and provincial ministers will also monitor the procurement campaign in their assigned districts. He disclosed that 15 interprovincial entry and exits points will also be fully monitored during this campaign. He reiterated that the interests of the farmers will be protected and every wheat grain will be procured as they are the benefactors of the nation. The CM disclosed that different projects worth Rs300 billion are launched in Punjab under PM Agriculture Emergency Programme. An Rs12.5 billion project has also been started to increase the per acre wheat yield, he added. The government has provided four lakh sacks of certified seeds to the farmers this year and 12 lakh sacks will be given to farmers for the next crop. In the meantime, he asserted that crops of 2.5 lakh farmers have been insured by increasing the scope of the crops insurance scheme. The CM told that Rs8.5 billion subsidy is also given to 52 lakh farmers to purchase fertilizes and ten thousand watercourses are being concrete-lined in Punjab with an amount of Rs28 billion to improve the supply of water.
The chief minister further told that Punjab government has introduced 80 new verities of vegetables, fruits and other commodities besides starting complaint management system for eradicating spurious pesticides and fertilizers. Similarly, interest-free loans worth Rs15 billion have also been given to farmers under the e-credit scheme, he said.
The CM was briefed that one crore and ninety lakh tonnes wheat crop is expected this year from an area spanning over one crore and sixty-five lakh acres. The wheat procurement target of more than 6.5 lakh metric ton is fixed for DG Khan division. 29800 metric ton wheat is being daily provided to meet the food needs while 11 lakh and 91 thousand flour bags are being provided to different markets in Punjab. It was further told that ban has been imposed to procure wheat without food grain license and more than 1000 KG wheat could not be obtained privately for personal use.
Later, the CM visited the wheat procurement centre in Matwa Village of Rojhan tehsil and distributed gunny bags among the farmers. In the wake of coronavirus pandemic, implementation of necessary SOPs will be ensured to protect farmers. He was also briefed about the situation of locust in Rajanpur.
Agriculture Minister Malik Nauman Langrial, assembly members and others were also present on this occasion.
Meanwhile, Usman Buzdar visited the DHQ Hospital Rajanpur on Thursday to review facilities arranged for the coronavirus patients.
He directed to ensure better treatment of patients adding that quality healthcare facilities will be ensured in Rajanpur district. The shortage of doctors and paramedics will be overcome soon and consultant doctors will also be appointed in this hospital. He told that DHQ Hospital Rajanpur will be upgraded and Rural Health Centres of Fazalpur, Kot Mithan and Dajal will be upgraded as THQ hospitals. He announced that an eye ward will be set up in Rojhan Hospital and gynae wards will be established in Jampur and Rojhan hospitals. Public Health Emergency is imposed and different steps are taken to save the citizens from coronavirus, he stated. Usman Buzdar maintained that health advisory is being strictly implemented for safety from coronavirus. He pointed out that Punjab has taken the lead by implementing Punjab Infectious Diseases Prevention & Control Ordinance, 2020 and permission has been granted to hire the services of ten thousand doctors and paramedics. He said that a maximum number of tests of coronavirus patients are conducted in Punjab and this facility will be increased to ten thousand tests daily in the next few days. The CM expressed the satisfaction that a thousand-bed field hospital is set up at Expo Centre Lahore adding that he is visiting different districts to personally monitor the medical facilities.
The CM was told that five isolation wards have been set up for coronavirus patients and more than 93 thousand people of different provinces have also been screened in Rajanpur Hospital.
Separately, Usman Buzdar reviewed the steps made for controlling coronavirus pandemic in a meeting at Multan Airport Lounge on Thursday.
The CM directed that provincial line departments and district administration should jointly ensure implementation on SOPs to overcome this pandemic. He added that the Punjab government is strenuously working for the rehabilitation of people affected due to lockdown and directed to further improve the facilities in quarantine centre of Labour Colony, Multan.
Earlier, the CM was given a briefing about the situation of coronavirus. Commissioner Multan, Secretary Food and high officials attended this meeting.
Usman Buzdar also expressed a deep sense of sorrow over the death of senior journalist and columnist Saeed Azher. In a condolence message, the CM extended sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace.
