The Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) distributed Rs 1 million prizes among the growers of Swat and Dir Lower Districts on the production of best quality Burley tobacco crop during the previous season.
The prizes were given in the shape of Umra tickets, colour televisions and bicycles at a grand function arranged by the PTC Regional Office Leaf Department Tindodag near Mingora, Swat on Wednesday. District Nazim Swat Asfandyar Amirzeb was the chief guest.
In all, nine tobacco growers were given Umra tickets while 18 were awarded Sony Colour Televisions and 60 growers from the area got bicycles.
The names of the winners were selected by a PTC special committee on the basis of quantity supply of Burley tobacco during the 2003 season.
The District Nazim in his address greatly commended the efforts of the PTC and stated that the company was paying a big sum to the country's exchequer in the shape of excise duty annually.
Chief of PTC Leaf Operation highlighted the aims and objectives and future targets of the company.
He also referred to PTC's social services in the area, which included mobile free dispensaries throughout the province.
He stated that the PTC was distributing millions of free saplings among the people for mobilising of forestation drive in the country. It has also established live learning resource centres in Buner, Mansehra, Swabi, Gujrat and Martian where free info-tech knowledge was being provided to the students.
The function was also attended by DCO Dir Lower Mohammad Ashfaq Khan, EDO Finance Dir Shah Jehan, Nazims and a large number of tobacco growers.