500 technology based farms to be established on modern lines

The Senate was informed on Tuesday that 500 technology based farms of different sizes would be established to strengthen the agriculture sector on modern lines.

500 technology based farms to be established on modern lines

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry told the House during question hour that the technology-based practices at these farms will help optimise the per acre yield. He said that this project will bring revolution in the lives of small farmers.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan told the house that the federal government is providing funds for construction of sixty small, medium and large dam projects in the country. He said that 17 dam projects are to be completed during the current fiscal year.

He said that work has been started on Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams which will greatly contribute to enhancing the country’s water storage capacity.

He added that WAPDA is also planning to construct several new dams including Kurram Tangi Dam Stage-11 and Sindh Barrage to cope with the issue of water shortage.

The minister of state said that the provinces are being given their due water share as per the water accord of 1991. In case of any water shortage, it is shared amongst the provinces, he added.

Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan informed the house that delimitation of constituencies has almost been completed in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for the purpose of holding local government elections.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that the government has not taken any decision regarding construction of Kalabagh Dam. He said that all the provinces will be taken on board on the construction of water reservoirs.

The chair said that Kalabagh Dam cannot be constructed without consensus amongst the provinces.

The minister of state for parliamentary affairs said that the prime minister has taken strict notice of motorway rape incident. He said those involved in such despicable acts must be given strict punishment.

Taking the floor, the senators strongly denounced the motorway rape incident. They said that legislation should be carried out to award strict punishment to those involved in such barbaric acts. They said that steps need to be taken to avert such ghastly incidents in future.

Those who spoke on the matter included Pervez Rashid, Asif Kirmani, Sherry Rehman, Aurangzeb Khan, Mohsin Aziz, Raza Rabbani, Barrister Saif and Mushahid Ullah Khan.

Originally published at Pakistan today