May 15, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1424

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RAWALPINDI, May 14: A proposal will be sent to the Punjab chief minister for the establishment of a new university at the site of Punjab Food Department’s wheat godowns in Rawalpindi.

This was stated by provincial minister for cooperatives Col Mohammad Anwar (retired) said on Wednesday while visiting the wheat godowns of the Punjab Food Department.

He said the proposed university would be set up at the site of wheat godowns near Rawalpindi Medical College. The wheat godowns will be shifted to some other place for easy accessibility to the farmers, he added.

The district food controller, Abdul Rasheed Raazi; assistant food controller, Pervaiz Khan; storage officer, Shaukat Ali Sayyal; food inspectors, Saleem Butt and Rana Sultan Ahmed, were also present on the occasion.

The district food controller briefed the provincial minister on difficulties being faced by the farmers and mills’ workers to access the godowns saying that the cost of transportation of the harvests to the godowns was high. The farmers find it easier to sell their wheat crops to the closest markets near their home towns, he added.

The minister assured the officials that the godowns would be shifted to a place outside the city which could be easily accessed by the farmers.

The minister said he would make a recommend to the Punjab chief minister that the present space should be used for setting up a university.

Mr Anwar was informed that for the current year the Government of Punjab had fixed the target of 1,000 tons of wheat for procurement.

The minister was also informed that in Gujar Khan and Taxila so far 32 tonnes of wheat have been procured from the farmers whereas in Rawalpindi Tehsil, the farmers have not been contacted for procurement of wheat as yet.

The provincial minister directed the officials to maintain contacts with the farmers. The minister expressed his satisfaction over the existing stocks of wheat.

Meanwhile, the provincial minister cooperatives held a meeting with the Punjab public relations department director, Imtiaz Hussain Malik, on Wednesday.

The minister said the Punjab Press Information Department was bridge of communication between the government, masses and the press.

The minister said that the government attaches vital importance to the information department and the press.