Army set to initiate ‘corporate farming’ on 45,267 acres in Punjab

• The agreement was signed on March 8.
• The army will play a role at the administrative level.
• The corporate sector will also be involved in this project.

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has allocated over 45,000 acres of land to the Pakistan Army for a “Corporate Agriculture Farming” project to increase crop production in the form of a “joint venture” to address food insecurity. can be ensured. I News on Friday.

“The Army will play a role in making the project successful at the administrative level. However, the ownership of the land will remain with the provincial government. The Army will not get any profit or share in the income from corporate agriculture farming,” Armed Forces said. The sources said.

The report stated that the Punjab government will start corporate agriculture farming on 45,267 acres in Bhakkar, Khushab and Sahiwal districts. The project will be completed in phases.

He said the Army plays a role every year, cleaning canals, ensuring availability of water to agricultural land to ensure food security.

“In the past, the army has also been a part of projects of national importance like the construction of the Karakoram highway. It has now decided to play its role in increasing agricultural production as it is the lowest hanging fruit to jack up the economic scenario of the country. can play an important role in doing this. Army will facilitate this project and nothing else. So criticism on social media is unnecessary.

According to sources, corporate companies will also be included in this project, which will be completed in phases.

Under the project, the lands of the Punjab government which are barren and under-cultivated will be used for corporate farming. Local people will be made part of the modern and mechanized farming project.

“The production will not only be used to meet the food requirements of the country but also to improve foreign exchange reserves by exporting agricultural products.”

The project is quite challenging, as providing water to make the land arable will be a huge task.

The Joint Venture Management Agreement was concluded on 8 March 2023 with the Government of Punjab.

“Under the agreement, the Punjab government will hand over 45,267 acres of its state land to the Army for corporate agriculture farming,” reveals an official correspondence dated March 10, 2023, between the Army and the Member (Colonies) Board of Review. Is. of Punjab

And in this regard the Board of Revenue has been asked to hand over 10,273 acres of Livestock Department, Mauza Rak Ghamman, Tehsil Kalorkot, District Bhakkar by 17 March 2023. Till March 23, 27 acres of land of Forest Department, Mauza Goharwala, Tehsil Kalwar, Bhakkar and till March 15, 9424 acres of land of Livestock Department, Rakh Mahni, Tehsil Mankira, Bhakkar.

Punjab Revenue Board has been asked to provide 981 acres of Livestock Department, Chak 61 MB, Tehsil and District Khushab by March 17 and 837 acres of land of Agriculture Department, Chak 5 MB, Tehsil Quaidabad, by March 18. . District Khushab

It has also been directed to hand over 725 acres of provincial government land to Chak 12/11L, Tehsil Chichawatani, District Sahiwal.

Departments are allowed to keep sections according to their needs for research purposes. However, research suggestions for better management will be shared.