Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said on Sunday that the government would extend all possible relief to growers in the upcoming budget.
He expressed these remarks while addressing a ceremony regarding fee reimbursement and laptop distribution among students of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture (MNSUA) here at the Central Cotton Research Institute. He said the government is committed to resolve peasants’ problems and all possible measures would be taken in this regard. PML-N government, he said, had reduced GST on urea fertiliser from 17 percent to only 5 percent in previous budget 2016-17, and would try to reduce it further in the upcoming budget to facilitate farmers. Small growers will get more benefits in the coming budgets, he assured.
Bosan said that agriculture was mainstay of the country’s economy and most of the people especially from South Punjab were attached with agriculture sector. He said that agriculture sector facing many challenges including shortage of labour, therefore, universities should focus farm mechanisation. The minister also lauded MNSUA and said that it was performing vital role in provision of quality education, and assured the varsity of full cooperation.
MNSUA Vice Chancellor Dr Asif said that fee reimbursement scheme was initiated for students of South Punjab only, which indicated the federal government’s seriousness for promotion of education. At the ceremony, 53 Mphil and PhD students received cheques for fee reimbursement, and 97 intelligent students got laptops.
