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LARKANA, Nov 10 (APP):Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the people of Larkana have shed their blood in the making of the 1973 Constitution, and “we will fully defend it.” Under the 27th Amendment, a Federal Constitutional Court will be established, in which all four provinces will have representation.
He expressed these views while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Sindh Wheat Growers Support Program at the Police Training Center in Larkana on Monday. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the support price for wheat has been fixed in Sindh.
“Earlier, I used to ask Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to set the wheat price, but the Chief Minister used to say that due to the IMF, his hands were tied. However, this year I requested the Prime Minister to declare an agricultural emergency because of the floods, to provide relief in electricity tariffs, and to give a support price to farmers. When the Prime Minister accepted our request, we fixed the wheat support price at Rs 3,500 per 40 kilograms.”
The PPP Chairman further said that 90% of Sindh’s farmers are being provided Rs 24,000 per acre under the “Benazir Hari Card” scheme for DAP fertilizer and seed expenses.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, while addressing the ceremony, said that the Sindh government had also supported farmers during the 2022 floods, and this year there has been a bumper wheat crop. He said that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto made it clear to the IMF that Sindh would fix a support price for wheat; therefore, Rs 56 billion have been allocated for this purpose.
“Currently, we are providing Rs 14,000 per acre for DAP and seed expenses, and within a few days, more funds will be released, bringing the total to Rs 24,000 per acre. This will greatly assist in your crop cultivation,” he added.
He further said that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has directed him to also develop a pricing mechanism for the rice crop, and work is underway to devise a strategy for that.
Provincial Minister for Agriculture Muhammad Bux Mahar, while speaking at the ceremony, said that 5,000 farmers are being given cash assistance under the “Sindh Wheat Growers Support Program” today. He said that climate change has had a major impact, reducing agricultural productivity, and therefore the government is working on improving seed quality.
He noted that production costs have increased, and under the instructions of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, the wheat support price has been fixed. “We are also working on water conservation,” he added, and requested the chief minister to also fix a support price for the rice crop.
The ceremony was also attended by PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, former Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, MNA Khursheed Ahmed Junejo, MPA Larkana Jameel Ahmed Soomro, MPA Sohail Anwar Siyal, Secretary Agriculture Muhammad Zaman Narejo, officials of the Larkana divisional and district administration, and several PPP leaders and workers.