SARGODHA, Jan 26: The Punjab government will reduce abiana, agricultural tax and electricity tariff for tubewells in a bid to increase the farm yield.

This was stated by provincial minister for irrigation and power Aamer Sultan Cheema while speaking at a reception here on Saturday night.

The minister said farmers were backbone of the economy and the province could not be put on the road to prosperity without extending extraordinary relief to them. He said the chief minister had already announced a cut in markup rate for farmers, and hoped that other facilities would also be extended to them.

He said priority was being given to education, health, agriculture and law and order, and various relief packages would be announced phase-wise. He said interest-free loans would be given to the youth.