KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah Thursday approved release of Rs 2.5 billion to procure 200,000 tons of wheat to achieve the procurement target.
"I want fair distribution of 'bardana' and small growers must be given due share."
These directives he issued to Minister for Food Gianchand Israni while presiding over a joint meeting of Food and Finance departments here at CM House, said a statement on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by Sindh Minister for Food Ginachand Israni, Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput and concerned senior officers of Food department.
The Food Minister briefing the CM said that 836,000 tons of Wheat has been procured so far and the remaining procurement is in progress.
The CM Sindh asked him about the progress of the procurement of 200,000 tons he had announced on the floor of Sindh Assembly.
The Food Minister apprised the CM Sindh that the funds for more procurement are yet to be released.
The CM Sindh directed the Finance department to release the required funds to the Food department.
Secretary Finance, Sohail Rajput told the CM Sindh that the Food department had given him a demand of Rs3.5 billion. "I have already released Rs1 billion on the CM Sindh's directives and another Rs one billion funds are available with the Food department and the remaining amount of Rs1.5 billion would be release on Friday," he said.
The CM Sindh directed the Food Minister to remove the district Food Controllers (DFC) where there were complaints of corruption and send their cases to the anti-corruption department. "It is very clear I would not tolerate corruption at any cost," he said.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that there were complaints from Ghotki, Shikarpur and Jacobabad that procurement has not been made properly.
Therefore, Minister for Food Gianchand must pay personal attention to these districts. Apart from it, the small growers must be given preference, he directed.
The Food Minister told the CM Sindh that 200,000 gunny bags were available with the Food department. "We start their distribution from today and the remaining bardana would be made available shortly," he said.
Gianchand told the CM Sindh that 697,895 tons of last year's Wheat crop was lying in the Food department godowns and so far the department has procured 836,337 tons. "It means 10,89,913 tons of wheat is available in the godowns of food department. The procurement of 264,000 tons are yet to be made," he said.
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