Wheat centres being shifted to influential politicians lands

LAHORE - The Punjab Food Department has shifted several wheat procurement centres to the lands of influential politicians, situated in remote areas, with a view to favour them by reducing their transportation expenses.
Sources told The Nation that the Food Department has set up new wheat procurement centres with shifting some old ones in other areas on the pressure of influential persons, which will cause nuisance for the growers.
Such decision of Punjab Food Department and PASSCO would increase the sufferings of the growers of hundreds of villages across the province, the sources said adding that establishment of new procurement centres and shifting of the old centres in far flung areas would not only increase transportation expenditures of the growers belonging to such affected areas but also increase the expenses of the departments.
The sources further said that some influential political figures belonging to federal as well as provincial ruling groups forced the authorities of Punjab Food Department and PASSCO authorities to set up wheat procurement centres near their agriculture land for their convenience.
They further said that authorities of both departments seemed helpless in this regard and compelled to obey their instructions
In this regard, Punjab Food Department was compelled to increase the number of procurement centres in order to facilitate political figures only. To establish new and for shifting old procurement centres the both departments would have to get buildings on rent spending millions of rupees, sources added.

Source: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Business/09-Apr-2010/Wheat-centres-being-shifted-to-influential-politicians-lands