LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Agriculture Ahmad Ali Aulakh has revealed that more than Rs3.8 billion will be spent on agriculture in 2008-09.

The minister, chairing a meeting here on Thursday, observed that out of the proposed allocation of the Rs3.8 billion annual development programme, Rs2 billion will be provided for ongoing projects being implemented by different wings of the Agriculture Department. He said that more than Rs1.8 billion will be allocated for new projects to be selected on merit to achieve the desired target.

He informed that agriculture was the top most priority of the current government and only those projects will be included in ADP 2008-09 which can support sustainable development and achieve a breakthrough in productivity.

The Planning Additional secretary then said his department was mauling over four new projects each from the Agricultural Extension, Research and Water Management Wings, two each from the Field and Floriculture Wing, one each from the Agricultural Information, Floriculture and Pest Warning Wings and nine from the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Company. He also said they would be included in next year’s programme.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Agriculture Punjab Javed Iqbal Awan, Mussawar Abbas Naqvi, Additional Secretary (Planning), Dr Anjum Ali, Director General Agriculture (Ext & A R) Punjab, Dr Ejaz Pervaiz, Director General (Pest Warning), Dr Muhammad Yasin, Director General (Field), Dr Muhammad Rashid, Director General Agriculture (Research), Tariq Iqtadar, Director Floriculture and representatives of PAMCO.