AVN Report
LAHORE: The Punjab Agriculture Department (PAD) has submitted 130,000 loan applications of farmers to the Bank of Punjab (BoP) for final approval for the “Kissan Card” scheme.
Since inception of Chief Minister Punjab’s “Kissan Card” scheme, the agriculture department has received an overwhelming 327,000 loan applications from farmers.
Meanwhile, registration of dealers from fertilizer, seed, and pesticide companies is ongoing, with 3,000 dealers already enlisted to supply inputs under the initiative.
These developments were discussed during a meeting chaired by Punjab’s Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, who stressed adherence to the Kissan Card Project timeline and ordered continuous monitoring of farmers’ applications.
He also ordered enhancing helpline services to promptly address farmers’ concerns, including application rejections.
In a related development, the minister discussed Chief Minister Green Tractor Scheme, saying over 500 applications were received and major tractor manufacturers were being engaged.
Mr Kirmani directed the establishment of a live dashboard for monitoring of all projects under the Transforming Punjab Agriculture plan. He said that an online portal to facilitate the recruitment of 1,000 agricultural graduates over the next year was being planned.
Updates were provided on the distribution of 4,000 super-seeders among farmers, with strategic discussions on boosting vegetable and pulse cultivation, and promoting kitchen gardening to ensure fresh, affordable produce that meets hygiene standards.
Punjab Secretary Agriculture Iftikhar Ali Sahoo underscored the final stages of preparing 1,000 super-seeders to aid in smog control and highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance the production of onions, tomatoes, chickpeas, and groundnuts across the province.
