Directorate General Public Relations, Punjab

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Agriculture is the mainstay of our economy. Over the years the Punjab economy has been considerably diversified but the agriculture sector is still the largest sector of the economy and the driving force for growth and development. It provides employment to 45% of the people in the province and over 65% in rural areas. It also provides food, shelter and livelihood to the people and raw material to the industry. The farming community also contributes to growth by providing market for industrial products. This sector is therefore being given top priority by the Punjab Government.

The Chief Minister’s vision for the agriculture sector is to transform it into a science based sector that can not only meet food security challenges but also compete in the domestic and international market.

To achieve this vision institutional reform, market reform, water management and technology change are the four major driving forces. The following strategic interventions are being adopted through the Annual Development Program by the Agriculture Department to achieve these targets.

Productivity Enhancement

Cotton in Thal
Mechanized rice transplantation
Lease of land to agriculture graduates
House cum garden plots
Rehabilitation of Water logged and Saline Soils (Biosaline-II)

Focused Research

Through a competitive grant system, 38 projects costing Rs.802.280 million are being funded (Wheat 9, Cotton 3, Rice 5, Sugarcane 3, Fruits & Vegetable 8, others 10)
Fruit and vegetable development project
Establishment of rice research station, B/Nagar

Water Resource Management/Improvement in water productivity

Development of a high efficiency irrigation system
Development of Command Area of GTC

Improved Services delivery and data bases

Establishment of provincial reference fertilizer lab
Digitized profile of agriculture land
Maintenance Management System for Bulldozers

Development of Alternate/Renewable Farm Energy Sources

Biogas technology
Study on solar irrigation pumps

Capacity building of the Human resources

The development budget for the agriculture sector has consistently been increased by the provincial government during the last couple of years. Provision of Rs 3.4 billion is being made for the years 2011-2012. As a result of constant support by the provincial government, the sector has achieved encouraging targets. The Provincial Agriculture Department is presently executing 19 on going development schemes and 9 new schemes will be taken up during the year 2011 -2012. In addition to above the Department is working on following intitatives

Star farms

Star Farm Consulting Company (SFC) started its business in China in 2007. The key features are:

-Training and capacity building of the suppliers/processors and logistics regarding IFS
-Training and capacity building of farm bases regarding GlobalGAP

Six Pakistani agronomists received six-month training from SFC in China to later work as master trainers in their program for Pakistan.
SFC officially launched its office on April 01, 2011 in Pakistan.
SFC training mainly focuses on quality assurance system,international standard traceability system & quality management system
SFC has audit system focuses on GlobalGAP, IFS &GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice).
SFC’s strategy aims at increase in productivity up to 3 times and reduction in post harvest losses up to 30%
Government of the Punjab is facilitating this system by creation of funds to incentivize farm bases, picking of KIBOR for IFS certification, development of marketing infrastructure, establishment of Centre of Excellence for training and capacity building and create a regulatory body

Kitchen Gardening Programme

Mainly focuses on provision of fresh, cheap and hygienic vegetables through distribution of Vegetable Seed Kits & Nursery Plants to the clients group in urban and peri urban areas of the province.
Under this scheme, 30,400 Seed Kits of vegetables i.e. Okra, Bitter Guard, Bottle Guard, Vegetable Marrow, Sponge Guard, Tinda Guard, Long Mellon & Cucumber were prepared & distributed to Vegetable Growers and 59,556 Nursery Plants of Tomato, Brinjal, Chilies, Mint, Coriander & Salad were also distributed in the urban areas.
About 1,70,000 seed packets for the forthcoming Rabi/Winter Vegetables i.e. Spinach, Carrot, Turnip (Golden & Purple), Radish, Fellnnu Greek, Coriander, SarsoonGobhi, Tomato & Salad (Lettuce) will be distributed for this purpose.
The experts of the Agriculture Department will impart training free of cost whereas seed packets will be provided on subsidized rates.
A comprehensive campaign for creatintg awareness about its benefits and production technology have been planned for the print and electronic media.

Marketing reforms

Revamping of Agriculture Marketing System is the main focus of reform of the present regime. The following strategy has been adapted in this regard:

Reform Agriculture Marketing Legislation through introducing Agriculture Marketing Bill, 2011
Establishment of Agriculture Marketing Information System (AMIS) to create awareness about what is happening across the border.
Allow private sector to establish agriculture produce markets to attract investment in this sector
Encourage establishment of cool chain and modern storage facilities.
Steps taken to introduce the concept of commodity future markets in agriculture

Punjab Seed Act, 2011 for vibrant seed industry

Punjab government has submitted Draft Seed Bill to the provincial cabinet for its consideration with the main aim to transform the existing seed industry into a vibrant seed industry by replacing:

Old and inefficient public sector certification system with new private sector driven truth-in-label system
Recognition of new developments such as GMO’s in agriculture field in the existing system
Regulating the seed multiplication & distribution system by establishing a warm body at provincial level

Mobile Health Units (MHU)
State of the art ‘Mobile Health Units’ (MHU) have been launched that are installed with X-ray and laboratory facilities and are equipped with two doctors (male & female), medicines and a small operation theatre. These MHUs visit different remote areas where local patients are treated and serious ailments are referred to hospitals. Six MHUs have been provided in Southern districts of Rajanpur, Bahawalnagar, Ahmadpur, Sharqia, Muzzafargarh, Rahim Yar Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan. These units are monitored by a satellite system.

Formation of Punjab Health-Care Commission
Punjab Health-Care Commission Bill was passed by the Punjab Assembly in 2010. The commission will have the authority to decide references against professional negligence and incompetence of doctors.

Foundation of Medical Colleges
Four new medical colleges have been established by the Punjab Government in Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Dera Ghazi Khan.

Hepatitis Control Program
A Hepatitis Control Program has been started with a budgetary allocation of Rs. 2.8 million.

Miscellaneous Health Sector Initiatives
Other initiatives taken up by the health sector include: The up-gradation of BHUs and RHCs has been carried out and the District Headquarter (DHQ) & Tehsil Headquarter (THQ) hospitals have been attached with teaching hospitals for improving health care delivery. The budgetary allocation for the Health Sector in 2010-11 was increased by up to 32% (compared to last year) to sixteen billion rupees. The total size of the health budget amounts to thirty eight billion rupees. Provision of free medicines for patients in Government hospitals is one of the top priorities of the Chief Minister. In this regard it is stated that an amount of Rs. 500 million was allocated for the provision of free medicine for the patients in Government hospitals under block allocation under Funds / grant PC21016(016) health services during 2011 - 12 out of which Rs. 400 million has been released by the Finance Department (in two installments). Health-Care Insurance has been introduced in Punjab and poor segments of the society will be given special attention in this regard. Free dialysis facility has been provided in different hospitals. Apart from that tertiary care hospitals have been equipped with MRI, Angiography and CT scan machines. The provision of air conditioning facility has been ensured in all public sector hospitals. Improving the health care system has been a priority of the Punjab Government. Cochlear Implantation operations have been performed on fourteen special children at Children Hospital Lahore in collaboration with Special Education Department. Each operation costing Rs. 1,500,000, and 115 more children will be provided this facility in the current financial year. Amendments in Punjab Pure Food Rules 2007 have been introduced that sets new quality standards for dairy products, minimum B.Sc. qualification for the food inspectors and stricter laws to curb production of substandard food items and its adulteration. All the public sector hospitals across Punjab have been provided with free parking facility. Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology and Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology have been established to cater to the long list of patients waiting for treatment and operations at PIC, Lahore who will now be accommodated in their own areas. The rehabilitation of Said Mittha Hospital, Nawaz Sharif Hospital Yakki Gate, Mozang Hospital Lahore as well as the new emergency block in Kot Khwaja Saeed Hospital has been completed. Punjab Institute of Urology and Transplantation and Gynae–Pediatric centre will be established in Rawalpindi.

Budget Allocation The Higher and Primary Education has been allocated Rs.117 billion in the current Punjab budget in different categories, which is a fifth of the total budget and reflects the Chief Minister’s resolve to educate the youth of the province.

Daanish Schools
The Chief Minister inaugurated the Daanish Schools establishing six campuses in Attock, Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Chishtian and Hasilpur. These are purpose built campuses aimed at providing quality education to the poorest of children in far-flung and backward areas of the province. For more information, visit the site.

Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF)
The Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) aims to provide equitable opportunities of education to under privileged but bright students especially from the southern districts of the province. This fund is nurturing much needed human capital which will, one day, contribute to the social and economic development of Pakistan. For more information, visit the site.


Punjab Education Foundation (PEF)
The establishment of the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF). The Punjab Education Foundation has been restructured under the Punjab Education Foundation Act-XII of 2004 for the promotion of education, especially encouraging and supporting the efforts of the private sector in providing education to the poor, through public-private partnershipS. For more information, visit the site.

Punjab Education Sector Reform Program (PESRP)
The creation of the Punjab Education Sector Reforms Program (PESRP) deals with all donor funded programs. The primary purpose of these reforms is to increase access to education by allocating more financial resources at the provincial & district level, to support devolution and public sector management reforms and to improve governance, access and the quality of education system in the Punjab.

Upgradation
The following upgradation measures have been taken by the provincial government: The upgradation of 3,068 primary and middle schools has been completed to augment the physical infrastructure of public sector schools in the province. Four year degree programs have been started in twenty six colleges; thirty six new colleges have been approved and the up gradation of twenty five colleges has been undertaken across Punjab. A total of 35,000 educators have been inducted purely on merit across the province to cater to the shortage of teachers and to improve the standard of education. Twenty two new colleges are being established and seventeen colleges are being upgraded in the current fiscal year across the province. Technical institutions have been approved at the divisional level which will help bring education in backward areas at par with the developed areas.

Centres of Excellence
Seventy three schools were declared Centres of Excellence across the province owing to their research work and maintenance of high standards of education.

College Teacher's Package
The following financial incentives have been given to college teachers: Mobility Allowance of Rs. 208.689 million @ Rs. 950/- per teacher. Hard Area Allowance of Rs. 94.450/- million @ Rs. 3000/- for 124 colleges of all divisions. Monthly Qualification Allowance (M. Phil/Ph. D) of Rs. 80.198 million for college teachers @ Rs. 10000/- for Ph. D & Rs. 5000/- for M. Phil. Principal Charge Allowance for all Principals of Rs. 47.461 million @ Rs. 4000/- and Rs. 7000/- for urban and rural areas respectively. Prize of Rs. 50,000/-, Rs. 35,000/- and Rs. 25,000/- are given to the teachers of first, second and third position holders students respectively. 1167 College Teachers Interns (CTIs) have also been recruited to meet the shortage of college staff on a monthly renumeration of Rs. 10000/-.

IT Labs
IT Labs in 4,286 government middle schools in Punjab have been established by the provincial government laying the foundation for bringing a revolution in the field of education where hundreds of thousands of students will have access to modern information. For more information, visit the site.

Online Registration
The Punjab government has introduced a new system of online registration for students of intermediate and secondary education across Punjab.

Special Education
The following measures have been takne by the government with regards to special education: 2,500 contract employees in special education have been regularized and approval of Four Tier Promotion Formula has been issued. Free education for special children will be ensured in addition to school supplies and a daily cup of milk.
Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab
Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab is a School Reforms Roadmap Programme with the aim of enroling every male and female child till 2018 in Punjab. This programme is being implemented successfully in Punjab with the objectives to provide all the required educational facilities besides the provision of text books and related accessories free of cost. So far, 140,000 teachers have been appointed on merit basis while 200,000 teachers have been trained for their capacity building. The four main objectives of this programme are: Objective 1: Ensure high quality teaching and learning in every classroom Objective 2: Improve leadership and accountability at all levels Objective 3: Support with high quality school infrastructure Objective 4: Enable a conducive learning environment for students

Construction of the Lahore Ring Road
The Lahore Ring Road (Northern Loop) work upto package-17 (Sui Gas Housing society) will be completed by 31-10-2011.

Establishment of Renewable Development Program
The Urban Renewable Development Program was launched for intermediate cities for the rehabilitation of roads in DG Khan, Sahiwal and Sargodha. A Southern Package was launched for South Punjab. Under this package, forty road projects are underway worth over one billion rupees. Major projects of urban water supply are underway in Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi.

Launch of Ashiana Housing Scheme
The Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) was established in 2009 to respond with immediate effect in the areas of affordable housing, urban renewal, municipal services, land management, land development, and the development of economic zones (Industrial Cities). The Ashiana Housing Scheme has been launched for low income families having all necessary modern facilities in Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala cities.

Construction of Model Villages
The Model Villages are being constructed for the rehabilitation of flood affected refugees. For more information, visit the site.

Launch of Jinnah Abadis Scheme
This scheme provides 5 marla plots free of cost to homeless, poor people of rural areas. Under this scheme, allotment Sanads will be given to eligible applicants with joint ownership of husband and wife. 71,082 plots will be provided to the aforementioned beneficiaries. For more information, view division wise summary of allotted plots.
Lahore Bus Rapid Transit Lahore Metro Bus is a bus rapid transit project of government of Punjab consisting of a 27-kilometers long route and 29 bus stations between Gajumata and Shahadra. The route covers dozens of commercial and residential localities along the main artery of city including Ferozepur road linking Jain Mander, Lytton road, MAO College, Civil Secretariat, Lower Mall, Shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh, Aiwan-e-Adal, Chowk Katchehry, Shahdra town and Ravi Road. The bus system uses e-ticketing and Intelligent Transportation System wand.

Position Held:	Leader of the House, Punjab Assembly
Party Affiliation:	Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)
Father's Name:	Mr. Muhammad Sharif
Place of Birth:	Lahore
Permanent Contact:	180-181-H, Model Town, Lahore Phone: 042-9203261-3
Religion:	Islam

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