HYDERABAD: Arrangements have been completed to launch wheat procurement across Sindh and to achieve the target of 1.5 million tonnes, as decided at a recent meeting of the provincial cabinet.
Procurement centres have been set up and terms for a transparent distribution of gunny bags have been announced.
Details of the procurement process were shared with the media by Food Secretary Raja Khurram Shahzad after chairing a meeting of divisional officials at the commissioner’s office on Tuesday. The meeting was virtually attended by all deputy commissioners.
Committees under the supervision of commissioners and deputy commissioners have been formed to ensure a smooth procurement process. District food controllers and other officials would be inducted in the committees, which would be authorised to take action against anyone found responsible for irregularities in the process.
Each committee is supposed to ensure a transparent distribution of gunny bags and take action against middlemen or brokers.
According to Raja Shahzad, each wheat grower having a minimum of 10 acres will get 100 100kg gunny bags and 200 50kg plastic bags whereas those having up to 30 acres will get 500 100-kg gunny bags and 1,000 50kg plastic bags and those having up to 50 acres will get 1,000 100kg gunny bags and 2,000 50kg plastic bags.
He said that procurement centres had been established for this purpose in the entire province. In Hyderabad division alone, 78 centres have been set up.
The condition of form-VII has been waived for this year and wheat growers will be required to provide only receipt of dhal or revenue officer’s verification to get the bags.
He made it clear that wheat would not be purchased from middlemen or brokers. He said that roller flour mills, as well as seed companies, would be required to share details relating to their procurement and the carryover stocks with government.
Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2022
