ISLAMABAD, June 13 (APP):Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan Thursday said the government has enhanced allocation for the development of agriculture sector by 1,200 percent and allocated an amount of Rs12.5 billion in Federal Budget 2019-20 as compared to Rs1 billion of last fiscal year.
Addressing a press conference flanked by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and President All Pakistan Kissan Ithad Board Khalid Khokhar, he said provincial allocations would also be enhanced to Rs50 billion during the financial year 2019-20.
Besides, he said in current budget no new tax or duty was imposed on any agriculture input as the government was determined to provide maximum relief to farmers for the uplift of agriculture and development of national economy.
The minister said all last regimes had badly neglected the agriculture sector, which was the backbone of the national economy and the major source of industrial raw material as well as absorbing a large number of skilled and semi-skilled workforce of the country due to their vested interests.