LAHORE, July 5: Five projects have been launched in 12 selected districts of the Punjab for the development of livestock sector and provision of relevant facilities to the farmers. Presiding over a meeting of his department officers at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday, Punjab Minister for Agriculture Marketing Rana Qasim Noon said Rs404.069 million was being spent on the projects.

The projects had been launched in Khushab, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Khanewal, Layyah, Bhakkar, Okara, Rajanpur and Jhang districts and Rs91.84 million had been earmarked for their execution in the current ADP.

The projects, Mr Noon said, would directly benefit livestock farmers and help increase livestock production in these districts.

The minister said Rs102.15 million were being utilized on the breed improvement project through progeny tested bulls in seven districts, Rs122.26 million for strengthening of livestock experiment stations at eight districts, Rs19.21 million for the development of beef breed at Okara, Rs80 million for research centre for conservation of Sahiwal cattle at Jhang and another Rs80 million for the project of camel breeding and research station of Rakh Mahni at Bhakkar was being utilized.

The country, he said, could earn huge foreign exchange by developing livestock sector and also get rid of the joblessness by involving youth in the livestock sector.

The increased livestock production would also help to overcome the needs of milk and meat. The investors should come forward to exploit new opportunities in the field, the minister said.