CM Maryam Nawaz inaugurates portal to expand access to high-tech agricultural machinery and subsidized financing for farmers
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated the High-Tech Farm Mechanization Financing Program portal, a digital gateway designed to give farmers easier access to subsidized loans, machinery financing and information on mechanization schemes aimed at modernizing agriculture across the province.
The portal is part of a broader push by the Punjab government to scale farm mechanization, expand the availability of high-power tractors, combine harvesters and other modern implements, and promote local manufacturing and service provision for agricultural machinery. Officials say the initiative will help raise productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and lower the cost of cultivation for small and medium farmers.
What the portal offers
According to Punjab agriculture authorities, the portal will allow farmers and service providers to:
- Apply for interest-free or subsidized financing for hi-tech machines and implements.
- View eligibility criteria, subsidy rates, and implementation guidelines for current mechanization schemes, including combine harvesters, super seeders and tractor programs.
- Register for government rolling-out programs such as the Green Tractor initiatives and the CM’s mechanization packages.
Policy context and targets
The portal launch follows several recent Punjab government commitments to agriculture support, including large loan and subsidy packages announced earlier in 2025 and plans to provide thousands of high-power tractors and other implements to farmers under phased programs. The provincial planning and development department lists the Hi-Tech Farm Mechanization Financing Program among approved development projects with multi-billion rupee allocations to increase mechanized capacity and promote custom-hiring service centers.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz described the portal as the beginning of an “agricultural revolution” in Punjab, stressing the government’s resolve to modernize farming through advanced, science-based methods and to make mechanization affordable and accessible. She also highlighted complementary measures, such as expanding lender support, establishing machinery banks, and incentivizing local manufacturing of parts and attachments.
What this means for farmers
For smallholder and medium-scale farmers, the portal promises faster, more transparent access to machinery financing and clearer information on how to benefit from subsidy schemes. By encouraging custom-hiring centers and mechanization service providers, the program also aims to lower upfront costs for farmers who cannot afford to buy high-value equipment outright. Officials expect the combined measures to boost sowing and harvesting efficiency, reduce labor bottlenecks and improve overall crop yields.
Next steps and rollout
Government sources say the portal will be rolled out in phases, linked to digital application processing, beneficiary verification, and monitoring systems to ensure accountability and timely delivery of machinery and loans. Stakeholders — including provincial agriculture departments, district extension offices, financial institutions and equipment suppliers — will coordinate to operationalize the program at tehsil and union council level.
