LAHORE - The Punjab government has kicked off wheat procurement campaign across the province on Wednesday to purchase maximum wheat from growers, expecting bumper wheat crop this year. The government has set 3.5 million tons wheat procurement target this year. According to the officials, the Punjab food department has been directed to purchase maximum wheat from the growers to ensure food security. Last year, the province had to witness at least one million tones shortfall during the wheat procurement and the country was left with no other option but to import wheat to overcome food shortage. Official sources said that the food department procured at least 60,000 tons of wheat on the first day of the procurement campaign and 9,800 tons from Rahimyar Khan district only. The flour millers have demanded the government to immediately lift inter-district and inter-provincial ban on the free movement of wheat and wheat products keeping in view large-scale production in order to provide benefit to other provinces. The government must ensure transparency during the wheat procurement and implement the new wheat purchase policy in letter and spirit, Dr Bilal Sufi, Honorary Advisor to Pakistan Flourmills Association commented, when contacted. Meanwhile, according to an official handout, Provincial Minister for Food Malik Nadeem Kamran has said that interests of farmers will be safeguarded during the ongoing wheat procurement campaign and payment of Rs 950 per 40-kg wheat will be ensured to the farmers for their produce. He said that in case of any complaint, the cultivators should get registered their complaints by phone at his assembly chamber. He stated this while inaugurating the provincial complaint cell set up at his chamber at assembly hall here on Wednesday. The minister informed that phone number 042-9203282 has been declared as toll-free where farmers can lodge their complaints from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm in case of any difficulty. He said that the name of the complainant would be kept completely in secret and the in-charge complaint cell, deputy director food, will take immediate action. He said that this provincial complaint cell had been set up in addition to the complaint cells of Punjab chief minister, secretary food and director food. Malik Nadeem Kamran said the provincial complaint cell besides complaints regarding wheat procurement campaign would also monitor the prices of flour in the province. He said that no flourmills, atta dealer or shopkeeper would be allowed to sale flour more than the fixed price and action will be taken against illegal profiteers without any discrimination.