TAXILA: Punjab Minister for Revenue retired Col Mohammad Anwar Khan said the government has made comprehensive arrangements for wheat procurement to ensure provision of all possible facilities to farmers.

He expressed these views during a visit to different wheat purchase centres in Attock on Tuesday.

He was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Ali Anan Qamar and officials from the agriculture, food and revenue departments.

Mr Khan said wheat procured from farmers was recorded through the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)’s wheat procurement app and web portal.

“For the first time, payment scroll has been introduced through which payment against the procured wheat is calculated and its access has also been provided to banks and concerned centres to facilitate in calculating and making payments to wheat sellers,” he said, adding this system was playing a pivotal role in the ‘Wheat procurement drive’ monitoring stock positions and wheat delivery mechanisms across the province.

The Punjab government has set a wheat procurement target for the year at 4.5 million tons at the rate of Rs1,400 per 40 kilogrammes. Complaints from farmers will be addressed on a priority basis and special teams as well as elected representatives will visit procurement centres to monitor the process, he said.

Mr Khan directed the centres’ officials to provide better services to farmers and warned that strict action would be taken against officials showing dereliction.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2020