LAHORE: Punjab has allocated a sum of over Rs105.63 billion for agriculture and its subsectors, industries, commerce, investment and energy sectors in the budget for financial year 2018-19.

A total amount of Rs31.7bn has been apportioned for the farm sector to empower farmers through digital and financial inclusion and crop insurance for small growers. The Rs7bn development outlay focuses on enhancing productivity, efficient irrigation, high-value agriculture through climate smart technologies, targeted cash subsidies, model farms, better supply chain and value-addition.

For irrigation sector, Rs38.35bn have been earmarked and key initiatives in the Rs19.5bn development fund include concrete lining of 500-km length of water channels, harnessing hill torrents, building Jalalpur irrigation system and Greater Thal Canal (phase-II & III), and food protection plan-IV.

The livestock, fisheries and wildlife will get a total of Rs13.5bn with Rs2bn for development projects, which include helping to set up a veterinary university at Bahawalpur, latest labs, revamping veterinary hospitals, setting up zoo at Sargodha, afforestation in the province and setting up a biodiversity hatchery at Jhang.

Out of Rs5bn allocated for energy sector development, the major portion will go to completion of 1,263MW gas-fired Jhang power unit, initiating solarisation of public buildings, setting up energy labs and retrofitting energy-efficient appliances there.

For the industries, commerce and investment sector, at least Rs16.68bn have been set aside out of which Rs7.4bn are for development purposes.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2018