Govt to protect interests of growers, mill owners: minister

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Food Samiullah Ch chaired meeting of cabinet committee on sugar sector in which matters related to cane crushing and demand & supply of sugar were reviewed.

Addressing the meeting, the minister said the Punjab government is taking measures for safeguarding the interests of sugarcane growers and sugar mill owners. He gave proposal for fixing the price of sugar by the consultation of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association, federal government and third party. It was ensured in the meeting that the association will not support those sugar mills which have closed their crushing but it will play its positive role for solving this problem (that the closed mills should start crushing process, opening the gates and issuing the permit), immediately. The members of the association fully realised that the future of sugar mills and the cane growers is linked with each other. There are some other reasons for closing the mills which include unavailability of cane, weather condition and other restraints. The mills could not be functional till the continuous supply of sugarcane. PASMA demanded that the whole meeting of cabinet committee should be called for the strengthening and stability of economy-related to sugarcane in which food department and minister food would play their positive role for resolving the issues.

Earlier, Secretary Food gave detailed briefing about start of crushing season, momentum, functional and non-functional of sugar mills.

Secretary Food Waqas Ali Mehmood, Cane Commissioner Punjab Wajid Ali Shah, representatives of Agriculture Department and Special Branch along with Chairman Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (Punjab Zone) Nauman Ahmed Khan and members of the association were present.

ventilators: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid directed on Monday for immediately making ventilators and dialysis machines functional while chairing a syndicate meeting of Faisalabad Medical University (FMU).

The syndicate meeting was attended by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zafar, Registrar Professor Faisal Bilal and other syndicate members. Chairing the syndicate meeting, the minister directed urgent repair and maintenance of ventilators and dialysis machines. She ordered renewal of contracts of the staff and endorsed the decision of the previous meeting of the syndicate. The registrar presented the key points of the draft and other pending issues to the minister as agreed in the last syndicate meeting.

The minister endorsed the decisions and ordered immediate release of funds for emergency facilities. The minister directed that development projects be completed at the earliest. Fine imposed on the passengers traveling without ticket

Fare dodgers: On the directives of Chief Commercial Manager Maryam Gilani and Divisional Superintendent Pakistan Railways Lahore Division Amir Nisar Ch, divisional commercial officer Shirin Hina checked Pak Business Express and Multan Express here on Monday and caught 30 passengers traveling without tickets and imposed fines on them. At least Rs 45,710 were recovered from the passengers as a fare and penalty.