Govt firm to achieve food procurement

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 66 Division and Area Commander of Rangpur, Major General Syeed Fatemi Ahmed Rumee yesterday said here the government is determined to make this year's paddy and rice procurement drive a complete success.
Gen Rumee said this while addressing a view exchange meeting at the conference room of Nilphamari Circuit House as a chief guest at about 11:00 am. The agenda of the meeting was development programme of the district and measures to combat 'monga'. Nilphamari deputy commissioner (DC) Md Rashidul Hasan presided the meeting.
He said the government is firm to meet the food procurement target at any cost. He asked the rice mill owners to fully co-operate with the government to make the rice procurement drive successful, otherwise he said the government will take stern action against the non-cooperators. He said that Rangpur agricultural region comprising eight districts is the largest paddy producing area in the country.
The GOC said three lakh metric tonnes (MT) of Boro was produced in the district this year while the total requirement is 2 lakh metric tones.
He said measures are being taken for proper preservation of procured rice. All government godowns in the region will be repaired and utilized for the purpose, he said.
The general said there are reports that marginal farmers are not getting fair price for Boro paddy. He directed the DC to form a committee to monitor the situation.
“We should not depend on foreign aid to combat 'monga'(near famine situation),” he said. 'We have to solve 'monga' in our own way', he said.
High civil and military officials, businessmen, local government leaders, journalists and representatives of civil society were present at the meeting.