PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has ordered the Sindh government to begin disbursement of cash for the seed purchased by growers for the Rabi harvest within twenty days.
While presiding over a meeting at the CM House, the foreign minister remarked, “The flood/rain has already caused tremendous losses to the producers, and now they are preparing their farms for Rabi crops. Thus they must be supported to satisfy their agricultural input needs.”
Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers Manzoor Wassan, Sharjeel Memon, Saeed Ghani, Nasir Shah, Mukesh Chawla, Murtaza Wahab, Rasool Bux Chandio, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, PSCM Faiyaz Jatoi, and Secretaries of various departments were present at the meeting.
The PPP chairman was informed that 3,6 million acres of standing crops were devastated by the recent floods, resulting in a loss of Rs421 billion for the growers.
To provide relief to farmers, the province administration has agreed to provide free inputs to farmers, according to the provincial premier.
“As a first step, the farmers will be compensated for wheat seed with cash transfers,” he said, adding that they will receive Rs5,000 per acre.
The prime minister stated that his administration had contributed Rs8.39 billion, while the federal government had given Rs4.7 billion. He noted that the entire amount required was Rs13,500,000,000.
In response to a question posed by the chairman, the prime minister informed him that fertilizer subsidies would be determined once the federal government made its funding pledges. He further stated that Rs46 billion were necessary for this action.
The chairman was informed that the World Bank assisted farmers with up to 25 acres of land. In response, the PPP chairman instructed the prime minister to provide reimbursement for wheat seed to all farmers, regardless of the size of their landholdings.
According to CM’s Advisor Manzoor Wassan, wheat was planted on an area of 2.43 million acres.
Prime Minister Shah stated that Rs45.51 billion would be required to provide fertilizer to farmers. He stated that DAP and urea would cost Rs39.48 billion for wheat, Rs1.85 billion for oil crop seed, and Rs41.8 billion for DAP and urea for oil seed crops.
Wassan, Sharjeel Memon, and Syed Nasir Shah were appointed to a committee under Wassan to collect and verify farmers’ data to expedite payout.
He suggested that funds be transferred to the farmers’ accounts via text message or the mobile phone cash system.
In light of the effects of climate change, the PPP chairman stated that it was imperative to develop weather-resistant homes for flood-affected individuals to survive even if another natural disaster, such as floods or heavy rains, struck.
We require homes that survive droughts, strong downpours, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters.
CM Shah informed the PPP chairman that torrential downpours/floods have completely and partially damaged 1,7 million homes, creating an urgent need for shelters.
“The Sindh government aims to begin rehabilitation efforts for the impacted families promptly; consequently, we are preparing a standard for housing reconstruction for the afflicted people,” the chief executive officer stated.
At this point, Bilawal proposed that the houses be constructed to resist future natural disasters.
