Punjab Governor Rafique Rajwana on Thursday said that the government was taking all possible steps to address the issue of farming community and to ensure quality education that will help the country fight different challenges. He presided over 43rd senate meeting of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad at New Senate Hall. He said that the agriculture was the backbone of our economy that is contributing 21 percent to the Gross Domestic Product of the country. He said tangible researches would pave the way to increase agricultural productivity. He said that majority of population was depending upon the agriculture sector.
He said that he will suggest the government to declare Faisalabad a knowledge city to get benefit from the potential here. It is our government commitment to serve the woes of common men in order to improve their livelihood. The food security was standing among the top agenda of government policies. He maintained the farming community had faced many difficulties. The government had introduced Kissan Package and increased loans for farming community that is hallmark step to ensure food security. He showed his concern that malnutrition was hitting a large number of the population which need to be addressed effectively. He said that to redress the grievances of the cotton growers about non-availability of seed, the government had formulated Punjab Seed Act. The Governor said that cotton crop was a key of our agrarian economy and the government is paying its full attention to support to cotton growers and availability of quality seed as well as fair prices of their output. He said that quality education at each district level would help the county face up the challenges of the modern era. He congratulated the UAF for becoming ever-first University countrywide ranked among the top 100 varsities of the globe. He applauded the great contributions of this higher seat of learning UAF for the growth and development of the agriculture sector of Pakistan. He acknowledged the rankings status of UAF at international and national level. He said that no nation can make the progress without the education. UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that although the country was having the abundant food but most of the population was malnourished. He said that it is due to unhealthy life style and dependency over two crops. The UAF had developed a new variety of cotton which is short duration and climate resilient. He said that the UAF had also identified nine new varieties of mangoes out of 500 germplasm that would bring the tangible results. He said that the UAF was working on the hybrid seed of the wheat and maize that will result in increasing the productivity. He said that the UAF was in touch with 10 million farmers through the mobile phones and internet. He lauded the steps being taken on the part of the government for the uplift of agriculture sector that is directly linked to the rural development. He said that the government was revamping the agriculture policies that will ensure agricultural development. Commissioner Momin Agha stressed upon the need to declare the Faisalabad a knowledge city. He congratulated the government for bringing fruitful measures to address the problems of the farming community. He said that the all possible measures were being taken for the welfare of the city. Registrar Muhammad Hussain presented the agenda before the House. The Senate also elected Dr Ijaz Bhatti and Dr Tahira Iqbal as the members of the syndicate for the three years. The Senate also approved Rs 8638.023 million budget estimates for the financial year 2016-17. The budget estimate was presented by Treasure Umer Saeed. The non development is standing at 4233.281 million whereas Rs 34.33 million for the Water Management Research Center, non development ( Punjab Government Rs 179.58 million, development fund ( Federal Government) Rs 788 million, development fund ( Punjab Government) Rs 853.017 and competitive research grants Rs 2549 million.