Punjab Minister for Industries & Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal presided over a meeting of task force for price control at CM’s Office on Tuesday in which availability of flour and its prices came under review in detail. Food Minister Samiullah Chaudhry, Agriculture Minister Nauman Akhtar Langrial, secretary Industries & Trade, secretaries of concerned departments and other high officials participated in the meeting while commissioners and deputy commissioners also participated in the meeting via video link across the province.
Aslam Iqbal while addressing the participants directed that the process of supply of wheat to flour mills, preparation of flour and its supply to the markets should be completely monitored. He further said that flour mills will have to prepare flour according to the wheat being supplied.
There was no flour crisis in Punjab and surplus reserves of wheat were available, he added. Due to weakness of monitoring mechanism such a situation has arisen. The government has decided to supply 500kg subsidized wheat to the registered chakkis of Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad and the process of wheat supply has already started where flour will be available at the rate ranging from Rs42 to 45 per kg.
A comprehensive system should be formulated to monitor the process of provision of wheat to the chakkis and the process of its preparation, he directed. Profiteers and hoarders will be defeated jointly.
