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BAHAWALPUR, April 11: Growers have protested over the closure of eight wheat procurement flag centres in the district.
A number of growers told this correspondent on Thursday that only three regular procurement centre in Hasilpur and Khairpur Tamewali tehsils had been established by the food department.
They said that flag centres at Dera Bakha, Khanqah Sharif, Khairpur Tamewali, Qaimpur, Jamalpur, Chak No 58, Choonawala and Chandipur had been closed down.
As a result, the growers of Khairpur Tamewali tehsil have to take their produce to the Israni centre, which is about 50 kilometres away.
Last year, wheat procurement centres had been set up at Khairpur and Chandipur.
Yazman tehsil has six procurement centres, followed by Ahmadpur East tehsil’s five and Bahawalpur tehsil’s four centres.
When contacted, food department officials said that the centres had been established in accordance with the government’s policy.
EPZs: The Punjab Small Industries Corporation’s regional director has said that export processing zones will be set up in Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan.
According to a press release, he was speaking at a meeting of the Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) at Rahim Yar Khan on Wednesday. Chamber president Tahir Jamil presided.
The meeting was informed that the corporation would also develop an industrial estate in Rahim Yar Khan.
The BCCI president said that texture, spinning, leather, dairy development and food processing units will be set in the EPZs. This will create employment opportunities for the people of the area.
ELECTED: Sheikh Hakim Ali and Nadeem Arshad were declared elected unopposed president and general secretary respectively of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, Bahawalpur bench.
