BAHAWALPUR – A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Bahawalpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Zaheer Anwar Jappa to review the actions taken regarding the issuance of the Kisan Card, the Green Tractor Scheme, and the establishment of the Model Agricultural Market.
Assistant Commissioner (AC) Bahawalpur City Dr Sana Ramchand, AC Bahawalpur Sadr Ahmed Sher Gondal, AC Hasilpur, officials from the Agriculture Extension Department, and representatives from the Bank of Punjab were present, while assistant commissioners from other tehsils attended the meeting via video link. The DC directed that to benefit from this significant initiative of the Punjab government, officials and staff of the Agriculture Extension Department should guide farmers and cultivators.
Deputy Director Agriculture Extension Hafiz Muhammad Shafiq briefed the meeting that the government has set a target for the registration of Kisan Cards for 31,057 landowners with land ranging from one acre to twelve and a half acres, and so far, 35,507 farmers have registered online for the Kisan Card. He reported that the Agriculture Extension Department has received 12,861 Kisan Cards and so far, 10,432 Kisan Cards have been distributed. The Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension informed that through the Kisan Card, landowners and cultivators will be provided with an interest-free loan of Rs30,000 per acre, which they can use to purchase seeds, agricultural medicines, and fertilisers from dealers. He further stated that under the directives of the chief minister of Punjab, the process of online registration for the Green Tractor Scheme is ongoing in Bahawalpur district.
Under this scheme, landowners with up to 50 acres of land will be able to obtain a green tractor through a lottery system. He also mentioned that 417 green tractors will be distributed through a lottery in Bahawalpur district, and the Punjab government will provide a subsidy of Rs1 million per tractor for this scheme. Subsequently, information was provided regarding the establishment of the Model Agricultural Market. He informed that the construction of the Model Agricultural Market is underway near the new vegetable market.
