K-P to spend Rs34b on subsidised flour

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Minister for Food, Science and Information Technology, Atif Khan has said the provincial government would spend Rs34 billion on subsidized flour and supply has already been started in all districts.

The minister said that provincial government has enhanced procurement from 1.1 million to 1.4 million metric ton this fiscal year.

Atif mad the annoucement during a joint press conference with Special Assistant to Chief Minister for information and Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif and Member Provincial Assembly Zahir Shah Toru, on Thursday at Peshawar.

Slamming the Prime Minister and Punjab government, Atif said that PM should not sell his cloth but avoid ban on supply of flour and wheat to K-P as it is purchased from Punjab on open market rate.

He added that Punjab and K-P both are part of Pakistan and flour should not be politicized.

“Compared to last year subsidized 20 kg atta bag at the rate of Rs1,100 in K-P has been reduced further to Rs980 per bag and 10 kg bag from Rs550 to Rs490 this year, said Atif.

He added that 15 MT flour is distributed in the market in eight thousand bags daily which will be increased further. He said for the first time in the country such a huge amount on flour subsidy is being given. Atif Khan shared that K-P government has also allocated Rs26 billion for providing Insaf Food Card to one million poor families of the province which will be starting next month in July.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2022.