LAHORE (APP) - Punjab Food Department will begin wheat procurement from Thursday across the province. Secretary Food Punjab, Sqn Ldr (R) M Irfan Elahi in an interview with APP here Wednesday said the Food Dept would purchase wheat from growers directly without any involvement of middleman which would continue till achieving upto 5m ton target. He said we have also lined up credit ceiling up to our total requirement for wheat purchase and made available sufficient gunny bags to desirous growers at their door-steps through transparent distribution to genuine sellers. He said nearly 400 purchase centres have been established in all wheat growing areas in the province. He said all Divisional Commissioners, District Co-Ordination Officers, Director Food Punjab and divisional Deputy Director Food have been directed to visit procurement centres and submit report daily for onward submission to the CM. Wheat procurement will start daily from 7 a.m to 7 p.m without break, even on holidays, he said. The secretary said that a 4-member committee comprising representatives of the local DCO, MPA, farmers and the lumbardar concerned, will supervise transparent wheat procurement at each centre, to ensure a fair deal to the growers. M Irfan Elahi said that for the convenience of the growers, a toll free telephone number has been re-activated to help redress their genuine grievances and take to task the corrupt and inefficient officials. He said on the special directive of the Chief Minister eight high level special mobile inspection teams at divisional level have also been constituted to monitor the process of wheat procurement across the province.