Punjab Food Department (PFD) on Tuesday kicked off wheat procurement drive 2014 by starting distribution of gunny bags among wheat growers of Bahawalpur and Multan divisions. Sources said the department had started distribution of gunny bags in Rahimyar Khan, Rajanpur and Sahiwal districts also. Sources said that in all 376 procurement centres have been established across the province to facilitate the growers.
They said the procurement is likely to begin from April 20 and all-out steps have been taken by the department to facilitate the small growers particularly. It may be added here, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif while giving approval to "Wheat Procurement Campaign 2014' had set 3.5 million metric tons target for the year. Shahbaz had also directed the officers concerned that wheat would be procured from the farmers at the fixed rate while the interests of small cultivators would be fully safeguarded.
Meanwhile, Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin has said the wheat procurement campaign 2014 would be carried out in a very transparent manner and safeguarding the interests of the growers is the top priority of the Punjab government. While talking to newsmen in his office on Tuesday claimed that flour and wheat remained in abundance in the province throughout the year. He said the flour was in abundance in Sastay bazaars which is a clear proof of his claim. Replying to a query, he said that ban on wheat transportation is not levied in the larger interest of masses of other provinces so it should not be dubbed as smuggling of wheat or flour to other provinces.
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