Removal of obstacles in wheat buying ordered
The meeting was informed that a govt-to-govt deal with Russia was expected to be finalised in July for import of one million tons of wheat. Photo: file
Balochistan government has announced launching a crackdown against elements involved in wheat hoarding as the provincial food department is engaged in wheat procurement in Naseerabad Division – the main wheat producing area of the province.
“Elements that will cause obstacles during the ongoing wheat procurement campaign will be dealt with an iron hand,” said Balochistan Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili during a review meeting on the progress of wheat procurement on Wednesday.
The secretary food, the project director food purchasing and the Naseerabad commissioner briefed the meeting on the wheat procurement process.The meeting expressed concern over the tendency of wheat-producing landlords to hoard wheat and sell it at higher prices later.
Despite the increase in the support price of wheat by the provincial government, the reluctance of the landowners to sell wheat is unacceptable, said a statement issued after the meeting.
The meeting also decided to take stern action against those who violate Section 144, imposed for purchasing wheat in Naseerabad Division.
The meeting decided that the wheat that landowners do not sell to the food department at the subsidized price will be confiscated. The food secretary told the meeting that this year, the provincial government has started a campaign to buy wheat with a comprehensive plan.
“The department of food has set a target of buying one million bags of wheat,” he added. The chief secretary deplored that wheat stockpiling will benefit big landlords while small growers will suffer.
He directed the Naseerabad commissioner to cooperate with the food department teams. Stressing the need for devising a monitoring mechanism of wheat purchase and delivery system, he called for taking indiscriminate action against hoarders.
The provincial government has also decided to enact a legislation to take action against elements involved in wheat hoarding and illegal profiteering.
Meanwhile, work on two schemes to supply water to Mastung’s Shaheed Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital (SNGBH) using solar power is on track to be wrapped up soon.
Both projects have been funded by Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani, a provincial assembly lawmaker who also served as the provincial chief minister from 2008 to 2013.
According to a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Public Health Engineering (PHC) department, Executive Engineer (XEN) Arif Shah on Wednesday met with the hospitals’ CEO, Dr Saeed Ahmed Mirwani, in his office.
Shah told the CEO that the water supply schemes are in their final stages of completion. “These projects will be handed over to the hospital after the completion,” he said.
Appreciating the steps taken by Nawab Raisani for the people of Mastung, the CEO said the activation of the supply scheme would end shortage of water at the hospital. He also appreciated the efforts of Arif Shah to complete the work in a timely and efficient manner.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2023.