Wheat procurement is farmer friendly policy:Dr. Farrukh Javed

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Farrukh Javed has said that wheat procurement is farmer friendly policy which will be strictly implemented. He said that district and divisional administration will extend full cooperation to Food and Agriculture departments for achieving wheat procurement target and the middlemen would not be allowed to exploit the farmers. He said that immediate payment to farmers through banks has been ensued and no delay would be tolerated in unloading of wheat and provision of gunny bags. He said that the intervention of patwari has been eliminated on the procurement centers.

 He expressed these views while addressing a meeting held to review the wheat procurement arrangements at Circuit House Sargodha, today. Commissioner Capt. (Retd) Muhammad Asif, DCO Saqib Manan, MPAs Dr. Nadia Aziz, Muhammad Munawar Ghaus, Sardar Bahudar Abbas Mekan, EDO Agriculture Muhammad Afzal Bajwa, Deputy Director Food Maqbool Ahmed Majuka, DFC Ch. Muhammad Aslam and Ch. Abdul Rasheed were also present on the occasion.

 The meeting was informed that procurement of two lakh ninety eight thousand metric ton wheat target has been fixed for Sargodha Division out of which one lakh fifteen thousand metric ton wheat would be procured from district Sargodha, seventeen thousand from district Khushab, fifty thousand from district Mianwali and one lakh sixteen thousand metric ton wheat from district Bhakkar. Farmers will be provided 200 jute bags and 400 PP bags at one time.

Talking on the occasion, the Minister directed market committees to make arrangements of cold water, tents and chairs at the procurement centers. DCOs have constituted monitoring and liaison committees at district and tehsil level for the centers. DCOs will be the Chairmen of the committees while DPOs, EDOs Agriculture, DFCs, farmers and public representatives will be the members. One gazetted officer is also being appointed by DCO for redressal of complaints at procurement centers. Toll free number 0800-48048 is being installed in the offices of provincial and divisional food department where special teams will listen to the complaints.