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20,000 tractors to be

provided under

next ATS year

KARACHI: The government will provide 20,000 tractors on cash payment through computer draw under the Awami Tractor Scheme during the next fiscal.

This was stated by Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Nawab Mohammed Yusuf Talpur, while talking to people during a visit to New People's House on Saturday.

He said that ADBP had been directed to refund the advance money deposited by farmers who could not get a tractor. However, he said, their names "will continue to remain on the priority list and they will get the machine if their names appear in the draw."

The Agriculture Minister said that multi-million rupees Korangi Fish Harbour has been completed at a cost of Rs One billion with the financial assistace of Asian Development Bank. He said the Prime Minister would be requested for its early inuaguration.

He said Pakistan was earning valuable foreign exchange of $ 15 million annually through fish export. He said Karachi fish harbour was constructed 40 years back but fish exports were declining due to unhygenic conditions at the harbour and lack of modern facilities. He said the newly-constructed Korangi Fish Harbour would not only ensure good hygenic conditions for producing quality fish but also help generate jobs for poor fishermen resulting in increased foreign exchange earnings.

He said the present government was fully committeed to solve the problems of the people and would spare no effort in mitigating the sufferings of poor people.

He was talking to people during a visit to new People's Secretariat of PPP today.

Talpur pointed out that the Government was focusing attention more on the development and provision of basic facilties to both urban and rural areas. In this regard the number of schemes launched by the, Government was unprecedented, he added. The Minister also heard the problems of people present there and issued on the spot orders for redressal of their grievances.

Habib Junaidi, General Secretary Information Cell PPP, briefed the minister about working of the Secretariat who expressed satisfaction over the same.-APP