Govt to ensure transparency in wheat procurement, says minister

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Food Zahir Shah on Friday directed the officials concerned to ensure all necessary measures for wheat procurement during the ongoing season.

He issued the directives during inspection of the wheat godown in Mardan. The minister also directed the officials to install additional surveillance cameras for strict monitoring.

The minister said that the KP government wanted transparency and quality control in the wheat procurement process. He said that committees at the district level, comprising officials from the food department, district administration, NAB, and anti-corruption agencies, have been formed to oversee the procurement process and prevent malpractices.

“The concerned district godown would have a purchasing point for the procurement,” said the minister, adding that this step aims at ensuring thorough examination of wheat quality and quantity at godown.

Furthermore, Toru stated that the provincial government will purchase 300,000 metric ton local wheat at a rate of Rs3,900 per 40 kilograms, benefiting both local growers and saving significant funds for the provincial exchequer.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency in line with the vision of party founder Imran Khan.Responding to a question from the media regarding concerns raised by Punjab farmers, the minister criticized the previous caretaker federal and Punjab governments for excessive import of wheat, which has adversely affected local farmers.

Earlier, the minister was informed that the wheat godown in Mardan had a storage capacity of approximately 28,000 metric tonnes, with an existing stock of around 6,000 metric tonnes from previous seasons.