Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting here Tuesday which decided to procure four million tons wheat directly from the cultivators during Wheat Procurement Campaign 2015-16.
The Chief Minister said that wheat procurement campaign is being started formally from the last week of April. He said that wheat will be procured from the farmers at the rate of Rs.1300 per maund and a record amount of Rs.130 billion has been allocated for this purpose during the current year. He said that due returns will be ensured to the cultivators for their labour and wheat will be purchased from small farmers on priority basis. He said that 376 wheat procurement centers will be set up across the province.
He was presiding over a high level meeting through video link at Civil Secretariat, which reviewed the arrangements for Wheat Procurement Campaign 2015-16. Secretary Food gave a briefing on this occasion. Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that with the grace of Allah, there has been a bumper wheat crop this year. He said that interests of farmers will be safeguarded like the past and their exploitation will not be allowed. He said that he will personally monitor the campaign.
Shahbaz Sharif said that the best arrangements have been made for the wheat procurement campaign and 376 procurement centers have been set up in the province. He said that the process of procurement of wheat and payment to farmers has been made transparent while complete transparency will also be ensured in the distribution of gunny bags. He said that a computerised system will be adopted for the registration of farmers and addressing their complaints.
He said that helpline 0800-60606 has been set up for registration of complaints while complaint cells have been set up at provincial, divisional, district and Tehsil levels. He said that complaints of cultivators during wheat procurement campaign will be addressed immediately. He said that presence of representatives of farmers at procurement centers will be ensured for the benefit of cultivators. He said that registration of farmers will be made through computerised system while their grievances will immediately be redressed through the modern system of citizen feedback. Shahbaz Sharif further said that besides provision of eight bags Bardana per acre to the farmers, Rs.7.5 per bag delivery charges will also be paid to cultivators. He said that provincial ministers and secretaries will be remaining in the field for supervising wheat procurement process. He said that it is responsibility of Food Department to make proper arrangements for wheat procurement campaign and provision of facilities to cultivators so that they should not face any difficulty during the wheat procurement campaign.
Secretary Food informed the meeting that in case of complaint, farmers can contact Provincial Food Minister on Phone No.0300-8405488, Secretary Food on 0304-0920043, 042-99210514-5, Additional Secretary on 0300-9462862, 042-99210295, Director Food Department 0331-5301071, 042-99212548 and Additional Director Food Department on 0321-8788128. Provincial Minister for Food Bilal Yasin, Member National Assembly Rajab Ali Baloch, Member Provincial Assembly Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning & Development, Secretaries Finance, Food, Agriculture, Information and concerned authorities through video link.
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