Punjab Agricultural Research Board (PARB) has approved an amount of Rs 148.19 million for funding 7 high-priority research projects. Out of this allocation, Rs 13.712 million were approved for the project `Exploration of Rice Bran Oil Production`, aimed at development of stabilisation technology for rice bran oil through different techniques including streaming, extrusion, hot air-drying and chemical stabilisation.

The approval was given in the 21st meeting of Board of Directors of the Punjab Agricultural Research Board (PARB) here on Thursday. Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh chaired the meeting, said a spokesman of the department. The board approved Rs 26.218 million for `Standardisation of Olive Propagation and its Value Addition Techniques`.

As a result of this development project, olive varieties suitable for Punjab and its standardised propagation techniques would be available. It also approved Rs 26.196 million for the project `Micro Propagation of Date Palm through Tissue Culture`, through which 100,000 true-to-type in vitro raised plantlets of promising date cultivars will be available.

An amount of Rs 17.476 million was approved for `Development of Drought Tolerant Cotton Variety` with the objective to develop 20 percent higher yielding cotton variety than all other traits in desirable limits under drought conditions.

Moreover, an amount of Rs 22.406 million was allocated for `Genetic Improvement of Sugarcane for Herbicide Tolerance` to develop transgenic versions of Sugarcane varieties HS-240, SPS-234, SPF-213 & CPF-240.

An amount of Rs 25.00 million was approved for `Development and Commercialisation of Indigenous BT and Herbicide Tolerant Maize Hybrids` with the objective to develop one local maize hybrid equal or better than the elite maize hybrids in the market.

An amount of Rs 17.180 million was also allocated for `Improvement of Salt Tolerance in Wheat`, aimed at enhancing productivity of wheat in salt affected areas. Earlier, it was briefed in the meeting that PARB has provided Rs 436.904 million for agricultural research during 2007-08 and 2008-09 for 21 research projects.

Minister for Agriculture Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh said agriculture is the top priority of Punjab government for which adequate resources are being provided to conduct researches according to international standards for enhancing productivity on sustainable basis. He revealed that an efficient monitoring and evaluation system is being introduced for smooth functioning of projects and ensuring that the objectives of the projects are being fulfilled.

The meeting was attended by PARB members including Chaudhry Mumtaz Ahmad Jajja, Member Punjab Assembly, Shah Jahan Bhatti, Member Punjab Assembly, Arif Nadeem, Secretary Agriculture, Dr Mubarak Ali, Chief Executive, PARB and representatives of Finance, Planning & Development Department, Forest and Livestock departments.