New wheat policy to benefit farmers: Aleem Khan

Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has said that new wheat procurement policy is the need of the hour to provide relief to farmers, for overcoming the financial burden on the government and to minimise the dependence of millers on the government.

He said this while presiding over a meeting at Chief Secretary Camp Office on Sunday. Punjab Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique had formed a committee to prepare recommendations with regard to new procurement policy.

The recommendations would be prepared to provide direct subsidy to poor people, keep control on prices matters related to wheat stock and inter-provincial transportation and export of wheat.

The Senior Member Board of Revenue would be the chairman of the committee and other members would include secretaries of Agriculture, Food, Planning & Development and Finance departments.

The committee would prepare its recommendations in three days, which would be presented to the prime minister for the final approval. The committee would also give recommendations regarding the method to implement new procurement policy. The Punjab agriculture minister attended the meeting through a video link.