January 30, 2006	Monday	Zilhaj 29, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 29: Sindh Chief Minister’s Adviser on Agriculture and Food, Mir Murtaza Khan Jatoi, has said that the Sindh government will spend Rs591.539 million on agriculture development projects.

He said this while presiding over a meeting to review Annual Development Programme 2005-06 in his office on Sunday.

Various schemes related to agriculture research, education, mechanisation, water management and agriculture extension came under discussion. The meeting was informed that Rs492.606 million had been received out of which total Rs107.357 million were spent by December 2005.

The adviser said that the projects were aimed at providing maximum financial benefits to growers, increase crop yield per acre, and creation of awareness about mechanised farming. He also called for projects which would help provide agriculture equipment to growers on low rate and provide them equipment on rent.

He asked the officials to make efforts for timely completion of all the ongoing projects.

Among others, Sindh Secretary Agriculture Nazar Hussain Mahar, Director General Agriculture Engineering Agha Zafarullah Durrani, DG Agriculture Research Haji Khan Kirio and DG Agriculture Extension Naeem Korejo were also present in the meeting.—APP