LAHORE: Taking notice of the growing concern among farmers, the Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture has called for an immediate overhaul of the Kisan Card mechanism to eliminate payout delays and systemic hurdles being faced by farmers in clearance of their mortgaged properties after loan repayments.

The committee`s meeting, chaired by MPA Zulfiqar Ali Shah, was convened toevaluate the performance of agricultural support programmes and address the lingering grievances of the farmers across the province.

Assembly members, senior officials of the Punjab Assembly and representatives of relevant government departments attended the proceedings.

During the meeting, lawmakers expressedtheirdeepconcernoverprocedural bottlenecks in the execution of the Kisan Card scheme, highlighting that delays in funds disbursement are severely impacting farmers` operational capacity.

Committee member Amjad Ali Javed pointed out that even after fulfilling their financial obligations and repaying loans, farmers are facing daunting bureaucratic challenges in securing therelease of their mortgaged properties.

He urged the relevant authorities to streamline procedures and ensure timely provision of facilities to stabilise the agriculture sector.

The committee also took stock of poor customer facilitation at banking institutions involved in the scheme. Members noted thatthe bankbranches concerned lacked adequate support mechanisms and guidance for the visiting farmers.

Emphasising the need for institutional reforms, the chairman directed that bank officials must undergo proper training to handle agricultural clients and called for immediate establishment of an accessible, hassle-free grievance redressal system.

Reinforcing the demand for structural accountability, committee member RanaMuhammad Arshad stressed that efficient coordination between relevant ministries and financial institutions is essential to resolve rural grievances without delay.

In addition to credit-related hardships, the standing committee deliberated on the protracted delay in the outstanding payments to sugarcane growers by sugar mills.

Emphasising that protecting farmers` rights and ensuring payment within statutory deadlines is paramount, the chairman said that mill management must fulfil their commitments promptly.

The meeting concluded with a resolve that robust institutional linkages and timely payments to farmers are critical to safeguarding the country`s agricultural economy.