Senior Food Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has hinted to bring change in the wheat and flour subsidy system in the province and gave task to the Food Department to prepare recommendations for revised system of subsidy based on new lines which should benefit the lower class and the common man directly, instead of flour mills and institutions.
Presiding over a high-level meeting here in Lahore, he directed the concerned officers to complete homework for “targeted subsidy” in Punjab in which the federal government should also be taken on board. Abdul Aleem Khan said that the supply of flour to five star hotels and “dhabas” is the same which has no justification.
The recommendations would be prepared to provide direct subsidy to poor people, keep control on prices matters related to wheat stock and inter-provincial transportation and export of wheat.
The Senior Member Board of Revenue would be the chairman of the committee and other members would include secretaries of Agriculture, Food, Planning & Development and Finance departments.
He added that according to the current practice, the government subsidises flour as a whole, after which the supply of “atta” and bread to the rich and the poor is made at the same price. Abdul Aleem Khan said that steps would be taken to provide maximum facilities to the poor in the new system under which subsidy on wheat and flour would be more but for a certain class.
Aleem Khan said that the “Ehsas Programme” database can be used to provide relief to the actual deserving people. He asked the Food Department officials about the new subsidy and instructed to start work on the system immediately while the Food secretary will monitor the process and complete the recommendations as soon as possible.
Abdul Aleem Khan said that after the approval of Punjab chief minister, the draft of this new system of subsidy would be presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan which would prove to be a better alternative to the existing system.
Abdul Aleem Khan said that rate of wheat and flour will be decided in consultation with the administration and the Food Department and a meeting between the department and the association will be held on Saturday, May 30. He hoped that the mill owners would co-operate realizing the plight of the people but if the Flour Mills Association did not cooperate, the Government would go its own way. Senior Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan said that provision of food to the people is the top priority and the Punjab Government and we have ample reserves of wheat in the presence of which there is no possibility of shortage of wheat or flour.
