Minister calls for report on PMB officials

Irangika RANGE

Co-operatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando directed Ministry Secretary Sunil S. Sirisena to submit a report on officials of the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) who have delayed purchasing paddy causing inconvenience to farmers and reported false information maliciously to the ministry.

The minister advised the Secretary to take prompt steps to dispatch more lorries to paddy purchasing centres and granaries in the Ampara district where transport shortage is reported.

The PMB has been allocated sufficient funds by the government for purchasing paddy from farmers islandwide and Minister Fernando has already instructed PMB chairman and its officials to streamline the paddy purchasing process minimizing hardships to farmers.

He had also called for a report from the PMB about any difficulties the farmers faced in purchasing paddy. Minister Fernando has also instructed the PMB chairman to take action against those who are involved in giving false information maliciously to farmers on the government's paddy purchasing programme.