‘Govt ensuring subsidised wheat supply’
Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has approved the import of 1.5 million tonnes of wheat on the proposal of Punjab government. “The wheat will be provided to flour mills in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on reserved price like that in Punjab.”
According to a handout issued on Tuesday, he stated that now in K-P a 20kgs flour bag would be available at a price of Rs860. “I am thankful to the prime minister for both the decisions. This would help in lessening the burden of wheat and flour on Punjab.”
The senior minister further said, “Across Punjab, a 20kgs flour bag was available for Rs860 and 10kgs bag for Rs430 in a sufficient quantity.”
‘Wheat shortage is artificially created’
He highlighted that the food department, on a daily basis, was providing wheat to flour mills on low price and Punjab government was giving a large amount of subsidy in this regard.
He elaborated that ‘chakkis’ did not get wheat officially at low price, which was why flour was being sold there at market rates.
The senior minister claimed that the timely action of PM Khan would help improve the wheat and flour situation, adding that in the future, all out efforts would be made to ensure the provision of flour to people at controlled rate.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2020.