The United Nations Industries Development Organizations (UNIDO) is looking at possibilities to launch a series of development projects in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces targeting the agriculture sector.
UNIDO has launched a sustainable livelihood program for farmers in the Eastern Province to improve the living conditions of the farmer community.
The government has shelved plans to import about 10,000 tractors under the Benazir Tractor Scheme (BTS) and decided that only locally made tractors would be provided to the farmers at subsidised rates under this scheme. This was stated by Federal Minister for Industries and Production Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo while talking to vice president PAPAAM Tariq Nazir during a meeting in Islamabad.
The auto parts manufacturers and vendor industry has urged the government to immediately announce modalities of subsidised Benazir Tractor scheme involving national tractor industry as its producer which would save foreign exchange of Rs 4 billion besides generating thousands jobs for the locals.
Palampur, May 12
Despite the fact that the state government has restricted the use of tractors to agricultural purposes only. In Palampur, a large number of tractors are engaged in mining, quarrying, extraction of sand stone and transporting quarrying material from local streams and rivers to different towns.
Agriculture sector of the country is incurring huge post harvest loss amounting to Taka 30,000 crore annually due to unplanned and haphazard collection and preservation of at least 15 food grains.
The automobile industry has welcomed launch of Benazir Tractor Scheme by the Federal Government but has opposed import of tractors as the local auto industry has the capacity to meet all domestic demands. It may be recalled that the Federal Cabinet approved the scheme at a cost of Rs 4 billion for providing 20,000 tractors to the farmers at concessional rates.
Speakers at a workshop here on Monday said that the media could play the most vital role in disseminating the latest agri-technologies to the farmers for ensuring the country's food security through increasing productions.
Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), an apex body of chambers in the country on Sunday expressed grave concern on importing 20,000 tractors, that is causing colossal loss to local industry.
