LAHORE - Adviser to Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Aun Chaudhary has said that exploitation of the farmers will not be tolerated and payments of sugarcane at fixed rates will be ensured at every cost.

“The development of agriculture sector along with welfare of the farmers is important priority of the government”, he said this during his visit to Shah Taj Sugar Mill in Mandi Bahauddin on Thursday.

Deputy Commissioner Mehtab Wasim Azhar, DPO Mehar Nasir Sial, Assistant Commissioner Kashif Jalil, DO (Industry) Rana Gulfam Haider and others were also present on the occasion.

Aun Chaudhary said that agriculture sector was a lynchpin of national economy adding that development of agriculture sector on durable lines could not be ensured without providing facilities to the farmers. He said that development of agriculture sector and prosperity of the farmers were top priorities of the government and solid steps were being taken in this regard.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Mehtab Wasim Azhar gave a briefing to Aun Chaudhary at his office about the crushing season. He said that solid steps had been taken for payments to sugarcane farmers in Mandi Bahauddin District. He further told that 46 procurement centers had been set up in the district and round the clock monitoring was being done by the district administration.

Chief Minister’s advisor was also told that 0.35 million metric tons sugarcane crop had been produced this year in the district, and it was due to the best arrangements made by the administration that 74 percent payments had been made to the sugarcane farmers while the rest of the payments will be made within one week.

Aun Chaudhary also visited Shah Taj Sugar Mill along with DC and DPO and inspected various sections there. He also talked to the farmers about their payments. The farmers appreciated the timely steps taken by the Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and the district administration which helped in timely payments.  He appreciated the steps by the district administration in this regard.