Punjab Food Department till date has bought over 200,000 metric tons of wheat from the growers while distributed 1.077 million tons gunny bags to the growers in all the districts of the province. This was revealed by the Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Food Mansha Ullah Butt and Secretary Food Punjab Irfan Ali while briefing the newsmen regarding on going wheat procurement drive here on Wednesday. They hoped that the food department would meet the procurement target of wheat procurement by May 30, 2012. Secretary Food Punjab Irfan Ali claimed that this year wheat procurement was more transparent and farmer friendly as compared to the past. He said that issuance of gunny bags from the procurement centers was more than the arrival of wheat which was a clear proof that the growers were facing no hardships in getting gunny bags. He said that he had visited the procurement centers of 12 districts of the province to monitor the wheat procurement drive and found revenue department officials in irregularities posted at Narang Mandi. He said that DCO on the complaint immediately took the record in custody and after checking suspended the officials concerned. Similarly, he said that two food inspectors from Sahiwal (Pakpattan), patwari from Okara, food supervisor from Khanewal and a food inspector from Vehari were suspended from the services on complaints. He said that monitoring teams had been constituted in each division to monitor the wheat procurement in their respective areas to ensure transparency. He also said that small growers who brought wheat in 50 bags or less are paid immediately while those bringing more than 50 bags of wheat were being paid in next two days. Irfan Ali stated that bank booths had been set up at 19 big procurement centers to facilitate the growers and making payments without any delay during the drive. Food Secretary further claimed that wheat procurement policy of the Punjab government is bringing stability in the price of wheat in the domestic market while prospects of exports are also brightening which would further stabilize the market and ensure prosperity to the growers of the province. Meanwhile, Punjab Agriculture Minister said in a press statement that PASSCO was exploiting the farmers whereas Punjab Government has facilitated wheat procurement process by establishing 374 procurement centres in Punjab. He was chairing a consultative meeting on wheat procurement with representatives of farmer organizations here at Agriculture House, Lahore on Wednesday. Chief Minister’s Advisor for Food Mr. Mansha Ullah Butt was also present. Meeting was attended by President of Mutehida Kissan Mahaz Mr. Ayub Khan Mayo, President Kissan Board Sardar Zafar Hussain, General Secretary Kissan Board Ch. Akhtar Farooq Mayo, Director Farmers Associates Pakistan Mr. Hamid Malhi and representatives of Anjuman-i-Mazareen, Punjab. Director General Agri. (Ext.) Dr. Anjum Ali, Director Agricultural Information, Punjab Mr. Muhammad Rafiq Akhtar, Deputy Secretary (Food) Mr. Abid Rasheed, Additional Director (Food) Dr. Altaf. Mansha Ullah Butt told the meeting that 1.1 million bags of wheat have been purchased and 9 million empty bags (bardana) have been provided to farmers. The target of 3.5 million ton wheat procurement will be achieved and any sort of corruption, inefficiency and exploitation will not be tolerated. For this purpose a revenue officer has been deputed as Centre Coordinators have been appointed at each procurement centre by DCO.
