April 24, 2003	Thursday	Safar 21, 1424

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RAWALPINDI, April 23: The Punjab government has set up 19 wheat procurement centres —- 16 in Rawalpindi region and three in Islamabad —- to buy wheat directly from the growers.

A total of 276 procurement centres have been established throughout the province.

In Rawalpindi region, the places where these centres have been established include, Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan, Sihala, Wah Cantt, Attock, Hassanabdal, Pindigheb, Fateh Jang, Jhelum, Sohawa, Khewra, Chakwal and Talagang.

The provincial minister for food, Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, at a meeting here on Wednesday, said the government was committed to buying the entire produce from the growers so that they could get full price of their crop.

The procurement would be done through one-widow operation at the designated wheat purchase centres, he said.

“The chief minister is desirous of excluding the role of middleman, who has deprived farmers of the proper reward for their hard work,” the minister said.

Mr Iqbal said the government would supervise the procurement process through its officials and no negligence or irregularity on part of the officials would be tolerated.

He asked the farmers to communicate all their problems and complaints concerning the procurement of wheat to the office of deputy director of food, Lahore.

The meeting was informed that the total requirement for the off-season, spanning from October 1 to April 30, has been assessed at 0.616 million tons, which is expected to be met adequately.

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