Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced on Wednesday in Lahore the creation of the Punjab Kisan Bank, a lender meant to serve farmers. She also said zero-markup loans of up to Rs100 million would be offered, and pledged to provide land and encourage livestock farming to support agricultural growth.
Speaking to farmers, Nawaz presented these steps as part of a wider effort to strengthen the rural economy. Details of the land distribution programme and the eligibility criteria for the loans were not immediately available.
A wider plan to improve farm finance
Nawaz said the initiatives were meant to make it easier for farmers to obtain credit, modernise farming and increase their earnings. She said the provincial government was determined to tackle farmers’ problems and make agricultural inputs, machinery and financial assistance more accessible.
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She described agriculture as the backbone of Punjab’s economy, calling the province the country’s food basket. Nawaz stressed that the welfare of farmers was essential to keeping economic growth on track. “Your convenience, your facilities and your profit are very, very important to me,” she said.
Kissan Cards, tractors and fertiliser controls
The chief minister said around one million small farmers had received Kissan Cards, which allow them to buy seeds, fertilisers and pesticides more easily while relying less on middlemen. She called the programme a success that had brought direct financial relief.
Nawaz also said the government had introduced an agricultural mechanisation scheme to lower the high cost of renting machinery. She said about 25,000 tractors had been distributed, with the scheme set to expand over the next two years. According to her, the tractor programme had also helped revive manufacturers of tractors and farm machinery, some of which had been close to shutting down.
Crackdown on fertiliser black marketing
The chief minister said the government had taken steps to curb the black marketing of fertilisers, including urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP). She said the aim was to keep these products available at officially prescribed prices.
Nawaz credited Agriculture and Livestock Minister Ashiq Hussain Kirmani with helping address farmers’ concerns. She said his own experience as a farmer had given him an understanding of the difficulties facing the farming community. She reiterated that her government’s priority was to make farming more profitable and give farmers the facilities they need to boost production.
