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SARGODHA, Sep 02 (APP):In a significant move to enhance the agricultural sector in Punjab, the provincial government has initiated an Agriculture Transformation Program aimed at providing internships to young agricultural graduates.
As many as 41 selected candidates from the district received their one-year internship offer letters during a ceremony led by Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) of Pakistan Muslim League-N Rana Munawar Ghous Khan and Assistant Commissioner Sargodha Amina Ehsan Tarar on Monday.
The ceremony was attended by Agriculture department officials, including Director of Agriculture Shahid Hussain and Deputy Director Masood Saqib. The PML-N MPA Rana Manawar Ghous congratulated the selected agricultural graduates while emphasizing the dual benefits of the program.
“This initiative will not only allow farmers to take advantage of modern technology but will also provide students with practical knowledge and experience,” he stated. The interns were set to begin their fieldwork from September 13, with the primary goal of empowering youth and equipping them for future opportunities.
According to the Director Agriculture Extension Shahid Hussain, the Punjab government would pay each intern a monthly stipend of Rs 60,000 for the duration of the one-year program.He added that each intern would be assigned to a specific circle that has been geo-fenced, and their performance would be monitored through a GPS mobile app.
He said the interns would also receive specific targets to ensure that quality consultation is provided to farmers.
This would include guidance on crop management and information on various subsidies offered by the Punjab government,he added. Interns expressed their gratitude to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for launching the paid internship program, which they noted is a first in the country’s history for agricultural graduates.
They pledged to leave no stone unturned in assisting farmers and thanked the district administration for facilitating the distribution of offer letters.