The Punjab government will ensure stability of flour price in the open market in the genuine interest of the common man as there is no reasonable justification for any price-hike by flour mills in the existing scenario of wheat availability throughout Pakistan, Senior Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Senator Sirdar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa said while presiding over a high-level meeting held at 90-Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam to review the regulatory mechanism of wheat supply to the flour mills on support price quota regime. Special Assistant to CM for Food Department Muhammad Mansha Allah Butt, Punjab Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khosa, Planning and Development Chairman Javed Aslam, Food Secretary Irfan Ali and senior administrative representatives of the departments of Agriculture, Finance and Industries participated in the meeting.
Khosa directed the Food Department authorities to act upon the time-tested strategy adopted during the last season of wheat procurement in Punjab to ensure maximal facilitation of the cultivators, particularly small growers, both in availing gunny bags/polypropylene bags and benefiting from one window operation in a totally transparent manner at 375 wheat procurement centres. Briefing to the participants of the meeting, Irfan Ali disclosed that 1.9 million tonnes wheat stock was still available with Pakistan Agriculture Supplies and Storage Corporation (PASSCO) of which one million tonne wheat would remain in the strategic reserve.