No ‘safarash’ would be accepted in provision of bardana

Lahore: On the directions of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, billboards would be displayed at the entrance routes of all districts of the province for complaints regarding issuance of bardana and wheat procurement wherein toll free helpline 080002345 would be printed so that the complaint cells should remain alert for redressal of complaints of cultivators.

This was stated by Provincial Minister for Food & Chairman Cabinet Price Control Committee Punjab Bilal Yaseen while presiding over a special meeting. Additional Chief Secretary Mirza Aamir Sohail, Secretary Information Punjab Momin Agha, Secretary Food Aslam Comboh, Director Food Capt. (Retd) Usman Anwar and other officers attended the meeting.

The meeting was informed that government wheat procurement policy is being implemented strictly under which the role of middle-man has been discouraged so that farmers should not face any inconvenience in selling wheat and getting bardana. The Minister said that no pressure or ‘safarash’ would be accepted in provision of bardana. He said that no irregularity with regard to provision of bardana by the staff of Food Department would be tolerated.

He directed all the administrative machinery to ensure transparent wheat procurement campaign. Every possible facilities are being ensured to the cultivators along with protection of their rights and the district administration has been directed to evolve monitoring system in this regard so that there should be no complaint and irregularity during wheat procurement campaign.

While presiding over a meeting held to review the wheat procurement campaign at Commissioner Office Faisalabad. Secretary Food Aslam Kamboh, Director Food Capt (Retd) Usman Anwar, DCOs Noor ul Ameen Mengal (Faisalabad), Raja Khurram Shehzad (Jhang), Dr. Farah Masood (Toba Tek Singh), MPA Mian Tahir Jameel, ADC Chiniot, Deputy Director Food Anjum Sardar, DFCs and Assistant Commissioner General Mehr Shafqat Ullah Mushtaq were also present on the occasion.

Provincial Minister said that during wheat procurement campaign, implementation on government policy and guideline is being ensured. He said that middle-man will be discouraged and no hurdle would be tolerated in the way of cultivators for provision of bardana and sale of wheat. The Minister said that first come first serve policy should be implemented strictly and the complaints of cultivators regarding less weight be redressed immediately.

Secretary Food Aslam Kamboh and Director Food Usman Anwar gave detailed briefings regarding policy, arrangements and facilities to the cultivators during wheat procurement campaign. They informed that distribution of bardana would be started from April 20 in the districts of Faisalabad division and due to moisture, the moisturizer meters would be provided at every procurement center.