October 29, 2006	Sunday	Shawwal 5, 1427

ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that the recent reduction in DAP fertilizer price will help improve agriculture productivity and promote rural economy.

He was talking to senior PML leader Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, who called on him at the PM's House here on Saturday.

The prime minister termed the agricultural sector as the backbone of the country's economy and said the government was working to further improve the agricultural income and the standard of living of the people of the rural areas as they constituted more than 60 per cent of the country's population.

He said the government was taking various measures to improve agricultural inputs, productivity as well as the farm income, which had already resulted in bringing about reduction in poverty in rural areas.

But, he said that more was needed to be done and various initiatives to have better seeds, cheaper fertilizers and other inputs and increase in support prices were being taken to diversify agricultural income.

In addition, the prime minister said the government was also introducing micro-finance and rural support programme to provide skills to both men and women in the rural areas, to improve the health and education facilities and to build better infrastructure in these areas so that the rural economy can play its due role in the overall development of the country.

He said that the other areas of priority for the government was agri business and agricultural marketing so that the farmer gets better return for his produce and ensures a steady demand for his products.

Mian Manzoor Wattoo said that the reduction in the price of DAP fertilizer by Rs250 per bag was a major initiative of the federal government and has been very well received by the agricultural community as an excellent gesture to improve farm income. He said such measures should be encouraged so as to improve the income of the farmer.

He also appreciated the government's focus on development by providing roads, gas, electricity and water supply schemes in his constituency so that people can benefit directly from the historic development expenditure being incurred by the government.