HYDERABAD, May 1 The Sindh government is planning to provide 1,000 tractors to growers on subsidised rates to boost agricultural products and raise living standard of farmers, DCO Aftab Ahmed Khatri said at a consultative meeting with growers' organisations about implementation of the scheme.

The DCO said that during his visit to Hyderabad on March 25 and 26, 2009, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah had issued instructions for preparing a feasibility report for providing tractors to growers on subsidy.

He said the management of agriculture engineering Hyderabad had conceived the scheme and submitted it to the provincial government. It had proposed provision of 1,000 tractors at a cost of Rs200 million in two years 48 tractors to each district of the province, he said.

According to the plan, the government would pay Rs200,000 subsidy on each tractor while the growers concerned would bear the remaining cost.

The scheme, prepared for two years from 2010 to 2012, would start from July 2009, he said, adding that the plan had been included in the agenda of Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) scheduled for Thursday at Karachi.

Purpose of the meeting, he said, was to get feedback and recommendations from growers' organisations.

The district government Hyderabad had proposed a district level committee led by agriculture engineer to scrutinise applications, revenue record of applicants and to arrange balloting in case of more than 48 applications were received in the district, he said.