Latest news with #GreenTractorScheme
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Punjab CM hails ‘tax-free' budget
LAHORE: 'Neither new taxes imposed nor their rates increased, 'said Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif while expressing gratitude to Allah Almighty for presenting a tax-free budget with the biggest development program in the history of the province. The CM added, 'We will eliminate a gap between development and facilities in cities and villages. Fruits of development will now reach every village. 1800 villages in Punjab will be made model villages.' The Chief Minister said, 'Besides Lahore Development Program, Punjab Development Project is also being brought in. Development will no longer see a difference between rich and poor. It will be rather equal for all.' She underscored, 'We have come with a spirit of serving the common man, and may Allah Almighty grant us success. We are sincerely trying to fulfil the mission of welfare of the people of Punjab. We will fulfil promises made to the farmers. More than 129 billion are being allocated for the purpose.' She noted, 'Not thousands but millions of farmers will benefit from the Green Tractor Scheme. Rs 15.5 billion are being given for more tractors. The construction and expansion of more than 12,000 kilometres of roads will be a record.' She added, 'Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital and Sargodha's Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology will be completed this year. Nawaz Sharif Medical District will be the first center in Pakistan where all deadly diseases will be treated, and research will also be conducted.' The Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said, 'Students will be given meritorious scholarships and laptops. Children will not sit on floor in any school in Punjab. Rs 40 billion are being given to provide them all missing facilities. Layyah and Bhakkar along with other remote districts will be given access to the motorway, besides extending better communication links to Muzaffargarh and Mianwali.' She vowed, 'We will not let the children of labourers sleep hungry, and will give Rs 40 billion for their ration cards.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
'PML-N also riding same-page horse'
In yet another political crossfire, Punjab information minister turned the guns on coalition partner PPP on Tuesday, this time pushing back against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah's concerns about Punjab's farmers, advising the party to look in their own backyard before pointing fingers. Reacting to the unrelenting criticism by members of the ruling party despite PPP being a key player in the coalition setup, PPP Information Secretary Nadeem Afzal Chan accused the PML-N of riding high on the "same-page-equation" horse just like the PTI once did. He claimed this was the reason PML-N showed little regard for a numerically commanding ally in the current setup. "As had happened to those on the throne before them, time would make them swallow their pride," he said. However, Chan remained optimistic that the issue regarding the canal would be resolved before things got out of hand. However, if push came to shove, "in the coming ten days, they would know that PPP was ready to walk the talk". When asked if quitting the coalition was the only card left in PPP's hand, he hinted otherwise. "The budget is around the corner, which would require their complete support. Before that, PML-N would resolve all pending issues." Chan termed the continual onslaught against his party as a sign of the PML-N's immaturity. "We are democratic, and we want this system to function uninterrupted. However, unlike PML-N, we are not beneficiaries of this system," he said. Earlier the same day, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari claimed Punjab's progress had become a thorn in the side of two provincial governments. She said that Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah appeared to be more concerned about the farmers of Punjab than those in his own province. The provincial information minister further asserted that Punjab's leadership was fully active in protecting and promoting the rights of Punjab's farmers, and that the province stood as a guardian of its agricultural community. "Are there no farmers in Sindh? Has the Sindh government set an official price for wheat? Has it purchased wheat from its farmers?" Azma's reaction came in response to Murad Ali Shah's recent press conference. She added that Shah and his party had been in power in Sindh for the past sixteen years, and that it was time they reviewed their performance and gave the public an account of their governance. She further accused Murad Ali Shah of supporting protestors who were blocking the main highway connecting Punjab and Sindh, calling it "deeply regrettable". Highlighting Punjab's efforts, Azma Bokhari said that in just one year, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had provided historic packages worth Rs110 billion to farmers. These included the Kisan Card, the Green Tractor Scheme and modern agricultural equipment like the Super Seeder.
Express Tribune
25-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
'Green tractor scheme hurting industry'
Listen to article The Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) has raised serious concerns over the Green Tractor Scheme, warning that it is destabilising the tractor parts industry, disrupting cash flows, and putting thousands of jobs at risk. PAAPAM Chairman Usman Aslam Malik underscored the sector's importance, noting that over 250 small and medium engineering units in Punjab employ more than 35,000 skilled workers directly and over 300,000 indirectly. Local manufacturers supply over 900 of the 1,000-plus components required for tractor assembly, playing a crucial role in Pakistan's agro-economy. However, the subsidy model has caused industry volumes to plummet, with tractor sales reaching a decade-low. Announced in May and launched in October, the scheme failed to align with the natural sales cycle of tractors. Farmers delayed purchases, anticipating a Rs1 million subsidy per unit, severely affecting sales during the Kharif season. The government's decision to reduce the scheme's scale from 30,000 to 10,000 tractors further destabilised the market, while delays in fund disbursement to assemblers worsened cash flow challenges. Uncertainty over future subsidies has made farmers hesitant to buy tractors, impacting ongoing sales. Malik criticised short-term, politically driven subsidies for causing more harm than good.
