MIRPURKHAS, May 14: The primary education in the district is being adversely affected by non-availability of textbooks.

The new academic year has already started and students as well as teachers of primary schools are awaiting the textbooks which are to be distributed free of cost on behalf of the district government.

Students have procured old textbooks from relatives and friends yet many of them remain without books.

Government Boys Primary School headmaster Abdul Hai said that teachers were facing hardships in coaching their students for want of books.

When contacted, education EDO Haji Rahu Khan said that the textbooks would be available by next week while adding that the books had been delayed for unknown reasons.

FLOUR RATE: The price of flour has increased by Rs1 to Rs2 in the city despite availability of new wheat crop in the market.

People are facing hardships due to the price increase despite the fact that wheat rate has been fixed at Rs400 per 40kg in the local market. Moreover, some mills are selling flour to shopkeepers at Rs13 per kilogramme, compelling them to sell it at Rs14 per kilogramme.

The Sindh government had fixed the rate of flour at Rs12 per kilogramme but shopkeepers and chakki owners were selling it at Rs13 and 14 per kilogramme.

COMPETITION: The Sindh Horticulture Research Institute has decided to appoint impartial persons and experts as judges for awarding prizes to winners of the three-day 39th Annual Mango and Seasonal Fruit Festival scheduled for June 4.

This was decided at a meeting attended by the Sindh Horticulture Research Institute director Mohammad Hassan Laghari, agriculture EDO Shaukat Ali Rahimoon, community development EDO Mohammad Siddiq Memon and committee members.