JHANG, May 10: The local district government is making all out efforts to make wheat purchase more transparent.

This was stated by district Naib Nazim Sayyid Asad Hayaat at a district council’s meeting here on Friday.

He said the government was looking for enabling growers to sell their produce at Rs300 per 40 kilograms.

At least 100 gunny bags would be given to growers on personal guarantee on first come first serve basis, he added.

He informed the house that the Nazim would appoint an officer for the supervision of bags’ supply and payment to growers.

A committee, comprising nominated representatives of district and tehsil Nazimeen and food department, had been constituted to monitor the whole process and to make suitable recommendations to Naib Nazim, he said.

Mr Hayaat directed the food department officials to display the salient features of the decisions at the purchase centres to keep farmers informed. He also stressed the need to ensure presence of all the food department officials at the centres.

Speaking on the occasion, district food controller told the house that about 35,814 tons wheat had been purchased out of the target of 170,000 tons. Around 1 million gunny bags had been distributed among growers, he added.

He maintained the role of middleman had been eliminated by the food department. He said additional staff was being posted at the centres to expedite the purchase of wheat.

Corruption by any official would not be tolerated and any body found involved would be punished, he concluded.