Sindh Cabinet Approves Rs4,000 Per Acre Subsidy for Farmers
KARACHI:The Sindh Cabinet has approved a subsidy of Rs4,000 per acre for farmers, with direct payments to be made to around 57,000 growers, as the provincial government announced a series of decisions concerning agriculture, land records, healthcare, sports and higher education.
The cabinet meeting, chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, approved an additional subsidy package for wheat growers and increased the subsidy for farmers supplying wheat to the Food Department from Rs1,000 to Rs2,000 per maund.
Farmers owning up to 25 acres of land will be eligible for the subsidy, while around 550,000 growers are expected to benefit from the package. The government is expected to spend Rs14.9 billion on the scheme, taking the overall subsidy amount to approximately Rs16 billion.
The cabinet also decided that new registrations of farmers would be carried out through a digital platform.
Provincial Agriculture Minister Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mehr said farmers would receive a subsidy of Rs4,000 per acre, while registration would be opened for an additional 250,000 growers.
According to the agriculture minister, 335,000 farmers were provided DAP and urea last year, while wheat was purchased from more than 56,000 farmers this year.
Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro said 57,000 farmers had supplied around 80,000 metric tonnes of wheat to the Food Department. He said these farmers were being paid Rs2,000 per maund, while Rs4,000 would be transferred directly into their accounts every month.
### Blockchain-Based Land Transfer System
The Sindh Cabinet also approved a blockchain-based e-transfer of title system for three pilot dehs in Matiari and Sukkur. Under the system, land ownership transfers will be carried out digitally with minimal human intervention.
### New Medical Tower at NICHD Karachi
The cabinet approved the construction of the 13-storey Bilquis and Abdul Sattar Edhi Medical Tower at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi.
The proposed facility will have 445 beds and is estimated to cost $17 million.
The cabinet also approved a comprehensive sports policy, recommendations relating to the youth policy and legal amendments to facilitate public-private partnerships in higher education.
In addition, the cabinet approved a system for appointments to senior positions in the prosecution service through promotion.
