KARACHI, Feb 11: The wheat procurement programme for 2009-10 came under review at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at the Chief Minister House on Wednesday.

The chief minister said that a policy had been chalked out about wheat procurement and the food department should complete all arrangements at the earliest so that procurement could be started before March 1.

Mr Shah said that Sindh had had a very good wheat crop this year and all-out efforts would be made to ensure an early start of wheat procurement in the districts of Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad and Tando Mohammed Khan.

He directed officials to keep a watchful eye on hoarders and profiteers, adding that Section 144 of the criminal procedure code would be enforced to foil the designs of people involved in inter-district smuggling.

The chief minister directed that the exit of wheat and its smuggling be curbed by sealing the inter-district borders. He laid emphasis on maximum purchase of wheat.

He called for timely completion of tendering process for the purchase of bardana (jute bags) and said that details of procurement centres and their telephone numbers would be widely advertised in the newspapers. He said maximum funds would be provided for the purchase of wheat.

It was decided that the home department would enforce Section 144 for sealing of inter-district borders while the districts where wheat would be procured, action would be taken against hoarders and profiteers under Section 144.

It was also decided that, as far as possible, new bardana would be purchased to save wheat from going waste.

The meeting decided to provide motorcycles to food department staff so as to speed up the wheat procurement drive.

It was stated that last year Rs680 million was spent on wheat transportation while this year the wheat procurement target had been fixed at 12 million tonnes.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Food Minister Mir Nadir Ali Magsi, Sindh Police IG Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak, Finance Secretary Fazlullah Peechuho, Home Secretary Mohammed Arif Khan and Food Secretary Allah Dittto Shar.—APP