SIALKOT: The Punjab government has embarked upon a plan to introduce new modes for promoting agriculture sector on modern lines and saving water through modern irrigation system. The plan will pave the way for introducing modern and profitable farming, enhancing productivity, lessening the productivity expenditures, better utilisation of fertilisers and pesticides and save the water. Sources in agriculture department told APP on Sunday that 35 percent water was wasted in agriculture fields.
They advised the farmer to adopt modern irrigation technology for avoiding wastage of irrigation water as it would be supportive in saving 40 to 60 percent water as well as help to save 30 to 60 percent wastage of fertiliser. Sources said the provincial government was committed to bring about revolutionary changes in agriculture sector on top priority basis and many steps had already been taken in this regard. The government had set aside Rs4.76 billion for a three-year plan for the promotion of per acre yield in the province.
The drip irrigation system under the plan had been installed on over 11,000 acres of land while solar system for drip sprinkler had also been installed over 1,500 acres of land in various parts of the province.
Similarly, under the plan special steps had also been taken for the promotion of tunnel farming technology and so far tunnel farm technology had been installed over 350 acres of land in the Punjab. The tunnel farming would help to promote the growing off-season vegetables around the year which will be supportive in improving the economic conditions of the growers.
The government would provide 80 per cent subsidy on installation of solar system while the government would also provide 50 percent subsidy on the installation of tunnels (Tunnel farm Technology) and 60 percent subsidy for sprinkler irrigation in the province, sources added.
