Director General Agriculture Punjab Dr Anjum Ali Buttar has disclosed that provincial government is bringing amendments in cotton control act with the consent of the stakeholders and government was in touch with cotton growers, ginners, spinners etc.
He was talking to a delegation of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) headed by Nawab Shehzad Ali Khan Vice Chairman (South). Director General said that government was seriously implementing its programme for the modernisation of up-gradation of ginning industry to save energy and packing of the ginned cotton according to international standards.
He said that Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif was taking interest in the up-gradation of textile and ginning sector who had initiated a comprehensive plan for the purpose. Director General said ginners should prepare bales of 170-kg each. Buttar said that figures of cotton arrival in ginneries compiled by the agriculture department could not be tallied with the PCGA arrival report. He said, "we had delivered the draft of proposed amendment in Cotton Control Act to the APTMA,PCGA and other stakeholders.
The leader of delegation Nawab Shehzad Ali Khan assured him that ginners would upgrade their ginning factories on modern lines and they would cooperate with Punjab government in making its programme a success. He also assured that policy of agriculture department would be implemented in letter and in spirit for the establishment of new ginning factories. However government should not impose new terms and condition and policy on the old ginneries.
He welcomed the up-gradation programme of Punjab government describing it beneficial to ginners. However central executive committee of PCGA would finalise the amendments in the Cotton Control Act. The delegation was comprised of Khalid Hanif Lodhi, Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, Suhail Mehmood Haral, PCGA's Secretary General Rab Nawaz Lak, Makhdoom Mujibullah and Muhammad Asif Khalil. EDO (Agriculture) Zafar Yab Haider, District Officer (Agri) extension) Sardar Muhammad Akbar, Deputy Director Chaudhry Muhammad Safdar were also present in the meeting.