Murad approves Rs7 bn scheme to provide wheat, oils seeds to flood-affected growers

KARACHI, Oct 13 (NNI): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presiding over two different meetings of the Planning & Development Board and Agriculture department approved Rs7 billion for the provision of wheat and oil seeds to the growers.
“We have to encourage the growers to prepare their flooded lands for Rabi crops, therefore we have to support them.”
The meeting was attended by CM Advisor Agriculture Manzoor Wassan, Minister Food & Excise Mukesh Chawla, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, and Secretary Agriculture Aijaz Mahesar.
CM Advisor on Agriculture Manzoor Wassan said that around 369,400 hectares of land were ready for wheat cultivation. He added that the growers should be given the seed of wheat and oils seeds for cultivation.
The chief minister said that he had already announced to support the growers by providing them with the seed of wheat and oil crops. He approved an amount of Rs7 billion for the purpose and directed the Irrigation department to strengthen their system for the provision of water. “We have to plan early and late Kharif sowing,” Mr. Shah told the agriculture department.
The Cm directed his advisor Manzoor Wassan to develop a mechanism for the distribution of seeds and present him within a week for approval.
ADP: The chief minister presiding over a meeting of P& board directed Chairman Hassan Naqvi to review the development portfolio of every department and identify the ongoing schemes damaged by the floods and heavy rains.
“We have to repair the existing damaged infrastructure, including roads, buildings, bridges, and irrigation system,” he said.
Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi told the chief minister that the in the ADP 2022-23 Rs79.119 billion were allocated for new schemes and Rs253.146 for the ongoing schemes.
It was pointed out that the chief minister had frozen all released funds, except for Karachi-based schemes, and allocated funds for human resources payments. The CM said that no release would be made for new schemes.
The chief minister directed the chairman P&D to invite the status of the schemes, including physical damages in percentage, cost impact, and recommendation of the concerned department for release of funds if the work could be continued and variation in the cost and scope of the scheme or to suspend/freeze the allocated/released funds on the damaged schemes till the revision.
The chairman P&D said that he would collect the details and would present the same to the chair within the next few days.
Meetings with diplomats: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in his meeting with the Ambassador of France Mr. Nicolas GALEY and Consul General in Karachi Mr. Alexis chahtahtinsky discussed the possibility of French support for water supply, RO plants technology for Karachi. NNI