Punjab allocates Rs 132.54b for agriculture, aquaculture & livestock sectors

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jun, 2026) Agriculture, livestock, and aquaculture form the fundamental pillars for Punjab's economy, food security, rural employment, and promotion of exports. Harnessing the potential of these sectors and making them drivers of economic growth, the Government of Punjab has allocated Rs. 132.54 billion under development and non-development expenditures for the next fiscal year.

In his budget speech on the floor of Punjab Assembly here Tuesday, Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said that over the next three years, the government will implement public investment of approximately Rs. 481 billion in agricultural, livestock, and aquaculture value chains under the Economic Transformation framework will be achieved, resulting in an additional private sector investment of Rs. 134 billion, while the total investment volume in these sectors will exceed Rs. 615 billion. New opportunities for prosperity will be created through this investment via enhanced production, value addition, exports, and rural employment.

The Kissan Card Programme has proven to be an important milestone for financial assistance to farmers. In the current fiscal year, interest-free loans worth Rs. 251 billion have been provided to 825,000 farmers at a cost of Rs. 9.86 billion, achieving a recovery rate of 99 percent. In continuation of this programme, a proposal of Rs. 10 billion has been made for the upcoming fiscal year to provide assistance to one million farmers for purchasing fertilizers, seeds, agricultural medicines, and other farming implements. The current government has provided interest-free loans worth Rs. 350 billion in just two years, which is a historic record.

In Punjab, he said, the Statement of Conditions has been approved to lease government land on easy terms to landless individuals. Under this program, up to 5 acres of land will be given to deserving individuals.

He said that government did not just eliminate the Domestic Debt to protect the farmers, but also ensured the provision of a fair price for wheat. In this regard, setting the wheat price at Rs. 3,500 per maund in the current season has not only made the farmer prosperous but has also guaranteed Food Security in Punjab. During the last 20 years, farmers were only given 10,000 tractors altogether, whereas the present government has provided 25,000 tractors in just the last two years, which is a practical manifestation of our farmer-friendly policies.

For the promotion of agricultural mechanization, under the Green Tractor Programme in the current fiscal year more than 9,300 farmers were provided high-power tractors at a cost of Rs. 9.60 billion against a total cost of Rs. 15 billion. In the next phase of this programme, 10,000 green low-power tractors will be provided at a cost of Rs. 7 billion, while an additional subsidy will be provided to farmers for 6,500 high-power tractors at a cost of Rs. 9.90 billion.

Through the Water Efficient Agriculture Programme costing Rs. 7.81 billion, more than 150,000 farmers benefited. Meanwhile, under the Solarization of Agricultural Tubewells programme costing Rs. 8.82 billion, 7,086 agricultural tubewells are being shifted to solar energy. In the same continuation, during the upcoming fiscal year, Mian Mujtaba said, access to modern agricultural machinery will be provided to small-scale farmers under the Punjab Climate Resilient and Low Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Program at a cost of Rs. 12.36 billion.

The Provicial Finance Minister said that over the past 10 years, only Rs. 3 billion was allocated for the promotion of agricultural mechanization, whereas the current government has spent Rs. 60 billion on modern agricultural machinery in just two years, showing a revolutionary pace.

In the human resource development sector for agriculture, he said, the Internship Scheme for Agriculture Graduates was implemented in the current fiscal year at a cost of Rs. 2.16 billion to provide practical training to 1,661 youth. For the upcoming fiscal year, Rs. 2.70 billion has been allocated to include 3,000 agriculture graduates in this programme. Similarly, a thatched roof facility will be provided to farmers. For the upcoming fiscal year, more than 10 Model Agriculture Malls will be established at a cost of Rs. 1.82 billion. This is a unique and revolutionary step taken for the first time in Punjab.

Under the Economic Transformation Plan, Agro-Processing Parks will be established in Sargodha, Khanewal, Okara, and Bhakkar at a cost of Rs.

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60 billion, through which during the next three years, more than 500 new industries will be established, generating over Rs. 20 billion in private sector investment and approximately 20,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. For the promotion of Agriculture Mechanization, he said, an additional benefit of Rs. 120 billion will be achieved in agricultural production through programmes worth Rs. 132.35 billion, and a 70 percent reduction in the import of agricultural machinery is expected, alongside a private investment of Rs. 48 apparel billion.

Under projects for the improvement of Wheat Value Enhancement, a multi-dimensional economic value will be generated through projects worth Rs. 20 billion, yielding USD 289 million annually, while two lakh farmers will benefit, increasing their income by 30 to 50 percent, and post-harvest losses will be significantly minimized. Apart from this, more than 20,000 employment opportunities will be created as a result of public sector investments worth Rs. 15 billion in mango, kinnow, and potato processing, which will stimulate an additional USD 200 million in exports and Rs. 48 billion in private sector investment.

Through the CM Punjab Herd Transformation to Enhance Livestock Productivity programme costing Rs. 5.20 billion, measures are being taken to improve animal breeds and production capacity. Livestock assets were provided to 4,385 rural women at a cost of Rs. 2 billion. In continuation of these measures, Rs. 4.44 billion is being allocated for the upcoming fiscal year under the Livestock Card Phase-II to provide interest-free loans to 300,000 livestock farmers. Meanwhile, under the Livestock Support Program, milch animals will be distributed among 10,000 rural women at a cost of Rs. 3.12 billion.

For the provision of better health facilities for livestock, Rs. 4.85 billion is allocated for the next fiscal year proposing the restoration of 146 Veterinary Hospitals and 10 mobile Veterinary Dispensaries at a cost of Rs. 17.10 billion. Additionally, Rs. 1.40 billion has been allocated to provide training on modern rearing methods and business skills to 200,000 livestock farmers.

To eradicate the most fatal disease among cattle, the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) control program was started at a cost of Rs. 620 million. Under this programme, implementation is underway for establishing an FMD Free Zone in Bahawalnagar. An Internship programme was provided at a cost of Rs. 61 crore, from which 1000 Graduates benefited.

Under the Economic Transformation Plan, the LIVE - Meat programme will introduce meat value addition at a cost of Rs. 19.10 billion with a government matching fund of Rs. 65 billion from private sector investment. This will generate a 200 percent increase in meat exports, create more than 15,000 employment opportunities, and reduce post-slaughter losses by 8 to 12 percent. Furthermore, the LIVE - Milk programme is expected to generate a threefold increase in exports and a reduction of USD 40 million in the import bill through milk production and processing projects worth Rs. 25.90 billion, doubling the income of farmers.

Mian Mujtaba said that Punjab Aquaculture and Fisheries Department is implementing a comprehensive programme across the province for development, totaling Rs. 173 billion. This includes: Shah Garh Shrimp, Shrimp Estates, Shrimp Farming Feasibility, Research and Training Center, Aqua Business Hubs, Aquaculture Malls in Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan along with multiple projects including Pangasius Hatcheries which are currently underway.

Meanwhile, under new initiatives in the Economic Transformation vision for the promotion of aquaculture, Aqua Business Hubs, Shrimp Estates, and Fish Markets will be established with a public investment of Rs. 80 billion, which will result in private sector investment of Rs. 30 billion and an annual export income value exceeding USD 235 million.

All these initiatives, he said, reflect that the government is converting its limited resources into new avenues of development, exports, employment, and private sector investment.

In addition to this, plans for the Lahore Model Fish, Nature Enclave Green Building, and the upgrading of the Murree Trout Hatchery and Market will also be implemented. Through these projects, new opportunities for fish and shrimp production, exports, private investment, food security, Aqua Tourism, and employment for thousands will be generated, making Punjab a modern, sustainable, and export-based hub for Aqua Culture economy.