Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Sunday the private sector could help growth in the livestock and dairy farming sector.
He said the development of livestock sector could help alleviate poverty and unemployment.
“A large portion of the rural population is associated with the livestock and dairy development,” he observed.
The chief minister said contribution of the livestock, dairy farming and agriculture to the national economy was substantial.
“Pakistan is blessed with suitable climate and human resource. These should be utilised to bring about improvements in the agricultural sector,” Sharif said.
He said work on setting up a modern veterinary university in Bahawalpur was underway. He hoped that the university would contribute to the growth of livestock and dairy development.
Advanced veterinary courses would be offered at the university, he said.
The chief minister said a programme should be launched to give cattle to poor women in villages.
Chief Minister’s Special Assistant on Livestock Arshad Jatt, the livestock and dairy development secretary and the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences vice chancellor attended the meeting.
Separately, a delegation from the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) called on Sharif.
CMEC Vice President Li Jingkai discussed prospects of setting up coal-fired power plants in Pakistan.
The chief minister said the time-tested Pakistan-China friendship had evolved into a useful economic relationship. He said several Chinese companies were investing in infrastructure, energy, transport and industrial sectors.
He said the Chinese investment had helped restore the confidence of other foreign investors.
Sharif said the provincial government had identified four sites to set up coal-fired power plants. He said the foundation stone of a 1320-megawatt power plant had been laid in Sahiwal.
He said 100 megawatts of solar power would be added to the national grid by the end of year through the Quaid-i-Azam Solar Power Park. He said the first turbine of Nandipur power project had been made operational in seven months. He said the project was producing 100 megawatts.
Li told the chief minister the CMEC wanted to set up coal-powered electricity plants in the Punjab.
Sharif welcomed the interest shown by CMEC in investing in power projects. He said the government would provide the company all-out support.
Mines and Minerals Minister Sher Ali Khan, the Mines and Minerals Department secretary and Quaid-i-Azam Solar Power Park project chairman Arif Saeed were also present.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 9th, 2014.