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ATTOCK, Nov 15 (APP): Member of the National Assembly and Member of the Supreme Judicial Council Sheikh Aftab Ahmed has said that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is taking concrete and revolutionary measures to bring about a genuine agricultural transformation in the province, and providing maximum relief to farmers is the government’s top priority.
He expressed these views on Saturday while addressing the audience as chief guest at the tractor distribution ceremony held in the District Council Hall Attock under the second phase of the Chief Minister Punjab High-Power Green Tractor Scheme. The event was attended by Assistant Commissioner Attock Inza Abbasi, PML-N ticket holder Malik Hamid Akbar Khan, Director of Agriculture Rawalpindi Division Shahid Iftikhar Bukhari, Deputy Director of Agriculture Attock Dr. Muhammad Javed, agricultural officers, farmers, and a large number of notables.
Briefing the participants, Deputy Director of Agriculture Dr. Muhammad Javed said that under the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, 150 high-power green tractors had already been distributed among eligible farmers during the first phase, while another 178 tractors were being allotted through balloting in the second phase. He said that the Punjab government is providing a subsidy of Rs. 1 million per tractor. These tractors, he added, are compatible with modern agricultural implements and will significantly reduce both the time and cost of cultivation while increasing per-acre yield.
Speaking on the occasion, Malik Hamid Akbar Khan said that the PML-N government is reshaping Punjab’s agriculture sector through farmer-friendly policies. He added that subsidies on fertilizers, easy loans under the Kisan Card, the provision of modern machinery, and quality agricultural research have resulted in substantial improvements in the sector, leading to better financial stability for farmers.
According to agricultural experts, the positive effects of the government’s policies are clearly evident, with the average per-acre wheat yield increasing from 32 maunds to 38 maunds, marking an 18% rise this season. Similarly, subsidies on DAP fertilizer, drip irrigation systems, a 70% discount on laser land leveling, and the use of advanced seed varieties have improved water efficiency and boosted overall agricultural production. The Agriculture Department expects Punjab’s total wheat output this season to reach 21 million tons, a major milestone for the country’s food security.
Concluding his address, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed congratulated the successful farmers and the administration, stating that the objective of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is not merely tractor distribution but to equip farmers with modern technology, relief packages, and a conducive environment, enabling Punjab’s agriculture to become a modern and self-sufficient economic sector. He said that these initiatives will not only uplift farmers economically but also strengthen Pakistan’s overall economy.