Lahore, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the launch of the Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Kissan Card, a significant initiative aimed at boosting the agricultural sector and supporting farmers in Punjab with subsidized resources. The card will facilitate easier access to financial loans, quality seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, marking a historic step in the province’s agricultural development.

According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, the Kissan Card project will provide Rs 150 billion in agricultural loans to 5 lakh small farmers at favorable terms, ensuring Rs 30,000 per acre for essential agricultural inputs. The initiative represents the largest of its kind in Pakistan’s history and includes the establishment of Model Agriculture Centers (MAC) across Punjab to offer modern agricultural machinery, training, and quality control measures.

Chief Minister Sharif has directed the Agriculture Department to gather detailed data on crop production and demand, and has approved the creation of a state-of-the-art research and development center specializing in cotton, wheat, and rice. Additionally, a Pak-China R and D Center, encompassing various modern agricultural research facilities, will be established in Agriculture University Faisalabad.

The meeting also addressed legislative amendments to combat the sale of spurious agricultural products and deliberated on restructuring the Punjab Seed Corporation and Punjab Agricultural Research Board. Plans for a new law to safeguard agricultural land from non-agricultural use were discussed, alongside proposals to technologically upgrade the Agricultural Extension Wing and increase its workforce.

This initiative underscores the Punjab government’s commitment to revitalize the agricultural sector, ensuring the welfare and prosperity of its farming community.