LAHORE - Food Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan, on the suggestions of Punjab Government, has approved immediate import of 1.5 million tons of wheat by the Federal Government and like Punjab wheat will also be provided to flour mills in province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He added that it has been approved to supply wheat to flour mills at a lower price after which a 20 kg bag of flour will also be available in KPK at Rs 860. Aleem thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for these two major decisions and said that it would reduce the pressure of wheat and flour on Punjab government, create an open market competition and further stabilise the prices of wheat and flour.
Aleem clarified that in all the districts of Punjab, a 20kg bag of flour is already available in abundance at Rs 860 and a 10 kg bag at Rs 430 and there is no complaint anywhere in this regard.
He said that Punjab government is giving a substantial amount of subsidy to provide wheat to the flour mills on daily basis. He said that the ‘Chakkis’ do not officially get low priced wheat so the flour is being sold there according to the market rate.
However, if there is any complaint regarding flour mills it should be brought to the notice of the local Deputy Commissioner, who will take immediate action.
Aleem said that the Punjab govt will not allow anyone to make excessive profit and strict action will be taken on such complaint.
He expressed satisfaction over the timely action of Prime Minister Imran Khan which will further improve the situation and said that we will not shy away from taking any step to ensure the supply of flour to the people at controlled rate in any case. Aleem further said that this year Punjab government decided to issue wheat quota ahead of time which step was also taken because flour should remain in abundance in the market and now the import of wheat will bring about a better situation in this regard which will not only benefit Punjab but also KPK also and this problem will be solved in a good way.
