ISLAMABAD, June 1: The federal government has decided to use satellite information to make crop estimates by replacing the antiquated system based on reporting by revenue department officials. The existing estimation system introduced in the British era has become outdated and normally results in inaccurate projections of the gross domestic product (GDP) which are changed many times in a year and still remain questionable.

Sources in the finance ministry told this correspondent that the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission would be given special funds during the next year to develop the required satellite system.

The new system would provide more accurate information about sowing and harvest of different crops, said a senior government official. He said that the existing system was introduced by the Britishers who used to collect information through Patwaris and Girdawars about land under cultivation and the output estimates for the purpose of collecting maximum revenue.