The Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a massive relief package for wheat farmers across the province, under which funds worth Rs15 billion have been approved. According to the government, this initiative has the potential to change the lives of more than 5.5 lakh farmers directly.
The salient features of the wheat package:
Direct financial assistance through Kisan Card.
Full exemption from excise and excise taxes.
Free storage facility for wheat for 4 months.
Instant loan facility through the EWR system.
Financing for construction and maintenance of private warehouses through the Bank of Punjab.
The markup of Rs 5 billion will be paid by the government itself.
The provincial government has also decided to pay a markup on loans worth Rs100 billion for flour mills and green license holders so that the entire agricultural system is stable.
Agricultural economists are terming this move the “foundation of agricultural revolution” in Punjab, which is a practical step towards making the farmer self-reliant and prosperous.
