ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has distributed about 5,000 tractors under the Benazir Income Support Program among its blue-eyed farmers on political grounds under the pretext of a draw, while farmers who submitted applications were still waiting for the draw, informed sources said on Tuesday.

According to details, the government had announced Benazir Tractor Scheme during the previous financial year, aiming to provide tractors to farmers on subsidy.

In its first phase, the government decided to give 10,000 tractors to farmers and for this applications from farmers were sought between July 21st to August 5th and about 190,000 farmers applied for the scheme. 

Federal Food Minister Nazar Mohammad Gondal had announced on the floor of the National Assembly that the first draw for the Benazir Tractor Scheme would be held on August 14th but it could not take place and after that it was fixed for August 24th but again failed to take place.

Reliable sources told Online that while the draw has been announced for the public, 5,000 out of 10,000 tractors have already been distributed on political grounds.

According to them, some government officials wanted to embezzle the remaining tractors due to which the draw is being deferred again and again and there is no hope that the draw if held would be transparent.—Online