Govt to address problems of farmers at doorsteps: Bosan

BUREWALA: Federal Minister for Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan has said that government would address problems of farmers at their doorsteps and said imposition of ban on wheat inter-provincial transportation was not a wise decision by the Sindh government as it increases the chances of corruption.

He was addressing farmers at local Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) warehouses on Monday.

Sikandar Hayat Bosan said that farmers are most deprived segment of the society in the country and they always showed patience and remain calm even in hard times. He said the problems faced by farmers should be highlight in the media and brought in to his notice and he will try his best to solve their problems. He said that corruption would not be tolerated in the procurement of the wheat and farers would be given their upright.

Managing Director Captain (R) Tariq Masood informed that Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) have launched wheat procurement drive and gunny bags distribution have been start on as government had assigned the federal grain procurement agency a task of procuring 1.6 million tons of wheat and it has been allotted 15 tehsils in Punjab. He said immediate payment to growers has been ensured and growers will get Rs 1,200 per mound from the bank in their respective area. He said that growers will also be given Rs. 7 per 100 kilograms as delivery charges.

General Manager Field Brig (R) Rashid Ali said that all the arrangements have been finalised and supply of gunny bags at each procurement center has been completed in abundant. In first phase, small growers having area of 25 acre or less will be given up to 300 bags with the rate of 12 bags per acre while big farmers will be given up to 500 bags. He said that PASSCO formulated a transparent and farmer friendly wheat procurement policy 2014, the corporation has also displayed banners with toll free numbers at every procurement center for solving the hardships being faced by the wheat growers.

Members National Assembly Syed Sajid Mehdi, Chaudhry Tahir Iqbal, Farmers representatives Nadeem Mushtaq Ramay, Haji Muhammad Iqbal Bhatti, Rana Muhammad Wakeel, and others presented their grievances problems. Members of the Punjab Assembly Ch Irshad Ahmad Arain, Chaudhry Muhammad Yousuf Kaseliya, Assistant Commissioner Burewala Saifullah Sajid, Administrator Market Committee Burewala Mian Muhammad Shahbaz, EDO Agriculture Vehari Shahzad Sabir, Principal DPS Burewala salahuddin Chaudhry, Hafiz Rizwan Abid and others were present on the occasion.