Making cancer detection more easy and quick, scientists developed a cancer-detecting breathalyzer that can detect cancer just through a person’s breath and have already begun its clinical trials. A UK-based
): Senior Minister Punjab/Minister for Irrigation, Raja Riaz Ahmad has directed the irrigation officers to put together suitable shelters in the irrigation department offices, situated across the province, for the visiting farmers coming for the redressal of their problems. He was presiding over a high-level meeting of chief engineers and Xens at the irrigation headquarters' committee room. Raja Riaz observed that the farming community is the ultimate lynchpin in the agricultural economy as it is because of their efforts and hard work that the whole nation is getting agri products.
The district government, Sialkot has initiated a well-designed plan to modernise the agriculture sector scientifically to attain maximum output of crops in Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial tehsils of the district. Official sources told Business Recorder on Sunday that district government was making adequate efforts for introducing new agricultural technologies under its programme to increase per acre yield of crops in Sialkot district.
As many as 16 electricity supply schemes are underway while 91 projects in water supply sector were being implemented in various parts of Balochistan, official sources told APP here Sunday. The government would construct 54 more small dams in different districts aimed at resolving water scarcity problems in the province. They said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has approved Rs 640 million for launching electricity projects for Chaghi and Dalbandin towns. Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2008
The Paris-based World LP Gas Association (WLPGA) is organising three-day 21st World LP Gas Forum in Seoul, from September 24-26 with the theme of "LPG: clean energy for a low carbon world". "We are looking forward to our Seoul event and have introduced new initiatives to complement the theme this year," said James Rockall, Managing Director of the WLPGA.
): Ministry of Food, Agriculture & Livestock (Minfal) has prepared a new project, "National Programs for the Control and Prevention of Avian Influenza" at a cost of Rs 1180.142 million to control bird flu. According to official sources, the project duration is three years and will be implemented through out Pakistan including AJK, Fata and Northern Areas with the financial assistance of World Bank.
The Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department is likely to get around Rs 2 billion for its Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the provincial budget 2008-09 with 60 percent share for the on-going schemes and 40 percent for the new schemes. Reliable sources in the department told Business Recorder here on Thursday that work was still in progress regarding the allocation for the livestock sector but roughly they would get around Rs 2 billion to continue its efforts for increasing the production of milk and meat in the province.
The Agricultural Task Force (ATF) will launch a drive against sale of fake pesticides in the current Kharif season. It was decided in a meeting of Agricultural Task Force chaired by the Secretary Agriculture, Javed Iqbal Awan held here on Thursday. Awan underlined the government to put check on sale of spurious/adulterated/sub-standard pesticides and fertilisers through intelligence based sampling. He said instructions have been issued to the field staff not to interact unregistered and unlicensed companies/dealers involved in sale of pesticides and fertiliser immediately.
The business community has appreciated the federal budget 2008-09 and termed it as pro-agriculture and pro-manufacturers. However, it asked the government that all the raw materials, not being produced locally, should be declared duty free for at least one year to help reduce input cost and enhance the country's exports.
With scattered rains in various parts of the country and increased inflow of water in the four main rivers during the past week, water availability for sowing of rice and cotton crops have improved. Earlier, there was 30 percent to 40 percent shortage of irrigation water for Kharif crops which are the main foreign exchange earners for the country, provider of raw material for the textile based industries and employer of millions of farm labourers.
Punjab Irrigation and Power Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed has said that supply of canal water to the farmers at the tail-ends, elimination of water theft as well as corruption from the irrigation department are his top priorities. The purpose of institutional reforms is to transform irrigation department into a farmer-friendly institution to ensure equitable distribution of canal water and complete protection of canal assets, he added.
