Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated Phase-III of the CM Green Tractor Programme.
She formally launched the balloting process on occasion and congratulated successful farmers. Maryam personally telephoned one of the winners, Hamza Liaquat of Bahawalpur, to convey her greetings.
During the call, the chief minister said, “This is your CM Maryam Nawaz speaking. Your name has been selected in the balloting — congratulations to you and your family.” She added that the Green Tractor Scheme is transforming the agricultural landscape and reaffirmed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has always prioritised farmers’ welfare.
During a briefing, Provincial Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani informed that 427,000 farmers owning up to five acres had applied for Phase-III of the scheme. He noted that the governments in Punjab had distributed 20,000 tractors over the past 25 years. But, he added, the current government has provided with a record 31,000 tractors to farmers within the last two years.
Officials further stated that tractor prices in Pakistan have more than doubled over the past five years. It prompted the Punjab government to focus on promoting agricultural mechanisation in 2024. The authorities have already completed two phases of the CM Green Tractor Scheme. It has already distributed 21,000 tractors. The provincial government will provide another 10,000 tractors (50–65 horsepower) under the current phase.
The briefing added that Punjab currently has about 140 tractors per 10,000 acres — less than half the ratio in many other countries. It underscored the importance of tractors to the province’s agricultural economy. And the difficulty which the farmers in Punjab faced in purchasing them at full market prices.
Meanwhile, Punjab government has set up more than 300 ‘Nigehban Dastarkhwans across the province. The authorities stated they set up Dastarkhwans with the support of philanthropists and organisations and on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. It said that thousands of people gather every day to break their fasting during iftar in Ramzan.
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Punjab Govt Sets Up Over 300 Nigehban Dastarkhwans Across Province
