4.5m tons wheat procurement target set in Punjab

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Secretary Azam Suleman has said that wheat procurement target has been set at 4.5 million tons in the province and field officers would have to work day and night to meet this challenge as well as curbing the spread of coronavirus.

He expressed these views while chairing a meeting to review arrangements for wheat procurement campaign in the province. The meeting was attended by the Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Food Department, Commissioner Lahore Division and officers concerned whereas divisional commissioners joined through a video link. The meeting decided that only licence holders would purchase the grain during the wheat procurement campaign.

The chief secretary said that under the policy, private purchase, transportation and storage of wheat except for personal use has been disallowed. Feed mills and unregistered seed companies would not be permitted wheat purchase as well, he maintained. He ordered stern action against hoarders, asking administrative officers to coordinate with law-enforcement agencies to check hoarding.

He said that policy of ‘first come first serve’ would be followed in the campaign, adding that limit of ‘Bardana’ would be from 200 to 1000 sacks. He directed that all possible facilities be provided to farmers and SOPs regarding coronavirus be implemented at wheat procurement centres by disinfecting premises and ensuring availability of masks, sanitizers and soap for hand wash.

The meeting also decided to depute officials of law-enforcement agencies and civil defence at each centre and set up dispute resolution committees at district level to address farmers’ problems. The meeting was briefed that online registration of farmers and issuance of ‘Bardana’ has started in Rajanpur district.

The meeting was told that inter-provincial and district movement of wheat would be regulated through an application developed in collaboration with Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB).