Lahore, the 29th March, 2017: 37th meeting of the Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research was held today at 10:30 a.m. in Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Supplies Corporation (PASSCO) Head Office, Lahore under the Chairmanship of Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, MNA.

2. The Committee was briefed about the step taken by the PASSCO on implementation status of Committee recommendations during its meeting held on 18th March, 2014.
 
3. Managing Director (MD), PASSCO apprised the Committee that PASSCO procure wheat every year as per target allocated by the Government by issuing bardana without security to small growers’ upto 50 bags on personal guarantee of member of supervisory Committee. Bardana will be issued to the genuine growers / farmers by depositing Rs.150/- per bag in shape of demand draft / pay order. The amount of draft / pay order will be returned to the framer immediately by the Center Incharge on receipt of wheat at the purchase centre. PASSCO has made concerted efforts to determine the general grower and eliminate the role of Arthies/ middleman. It was also informed the Committee that the sufficient stock of wheat is available to meet our future requirement till the new corps arrived in the market.

4. Chaudhary Nazeer Ahmad, Choudhary Iftikhar Nazir, Tahir Iqbal Ch., Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Syed Iftikhar-ul-Hassan, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, Ms. Shahnaz Saleem, Ms. Khalida Mansoor, Pir Shafqat Hussain Jilani, Muhammad Salman Khan Baloch and Dr. Fouzia Hameed, MNAs attended the meeting. The meeting was also attended by senior officers of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research and PASSCO.