Govt announces Rs 500 subsidy on DAP bag, Rs 218 on NP bag

[sixthsense]

The government announced on Friday a subsidy of Rs 500 on each 50 kg bag of diammonium phosphate (DAP), Rs 218 on a bag of nitrophosphate (NP), nitrogen phosphorus and potassium.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan said that the amount of the subsidy would be paid to the importers and the local producers who would sell these agriculture inputs at subsidized rates to the farmers.

He said the scheme would continue till the total subsidy of Rs 20 billion was spent. He said under the mechanism, the finance ministry would provide the amount to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) against the GST levied on imported fertilizers by an importer, while for the local manufacturers, they would claim the subsidy after manufacturing this important agricultural input.

The minister said the federal government had fulfilled the long-standing demand of the farmers as they were suffering due to low commodity prices and high prices of inputs. Bosan said the government wanted to encourage the farmers to use nitrophosphate fertilizer in order to boost their yield. He said out of total subsidy of Rs 20 billion, the federal government would provide Rs 10 billion to the Punjab government; and Rs 7 billion to Balochistan. Whereas, he said, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments would be approached again for their due share.

To a question, the minister said to avoid manipulation of prices, ex-Karachi price would be printed on each bag of DAP which did not include freight.

However, he added, that in other parts of the country, the freight charges would be included in the total price of a bag. To another question, the minister said that the importers and manufacturers would immediately cancel the dealership if a dealer or his sub-dealer was found guilty of overcharging or tying the product with other fertilizers.

They will also ensure wider public awareness about the fertilizer prices, he said, adding they would also launch mega media coverage through print and electronic media.

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[sixthsense]

Punjab government running HIV/AIDS Control Programme successfully: official

"Punjab government is successfully running HIV/AIDS Control Programme with its own resources and government would provide maximum resources for its expansion and devising new strategy for better results," claimed the Punjab Health Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik while addressing a consultative seminar by the Punjab AIDS Control Programme, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the World Health Organisation, here on Thursday.

Regional HIV Advisor UNODC Anne Bargestrom, UNICEF AIDS Specialist Dr Nasir Sarfraz, Dr Naila Shahid, Dr Zaman Khan, Dr Tayyeba Rashid, Strategic Advisor UNAIDS Dr Rajwal Khan and a large number of medical experts, representatives of international partners and non-government organisations also attended the seminar. UNAIDS Country Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Dr Mamadou Sakhu said on the occasion that Punjab AIDS Control Programme is moving in the right direction. There is a need for awareness in seminars and enhance HIV lab test facilities for the those affected so that people can have an easy access to information about the HIV AIDS control and follow precautionary measures.

Secretary Malik said, "Consultative seminars will be fruitful in evolving a new strategy for HIV/AIDS control and treatment of infected persons. Punjab government is implementing a comprehensive disease prevention programme." In a speech, Punjab AIDS Control Programme Manager, Dr Salman Shahid said, "Punjab is the only province where an effective HIV/AIDS Control Programme is being implemented with the provincial resources and technical co-operation of the WHO, UNICEF and UNAIDS. The PC-I of the programme is approved and entire funding is being made by the Punjab government while international partners are providing technical assistance for running this programme. Under the new strategy HIV test of spouses of injectable drug addicts will also be carried out to check the spread of virus. The programme is providing free medical treatment to all registered HIV AIDS positive patients. It is providing preventive services to 17,500 syringe-user addicts, 16,500 hookers and 10,000 transsexuals."

He also said recently the programme conducted AIDS tests of 8,035 thalassemia children and 50,000 prisoners are also provided with a test facility and HIV positive-prisoners and children are being provided free treatment facilities. He said a new strategy is being evolved to expand diagnostic and treatment facilities.


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