CM Punjab livid at Federal govt over wheat shortage in the province

Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said on Tuesday that the federal government is ‘behaving like a stepmother’ toward the Punjab government, especially on the wheat provision matter, ARY News reported.

Wheat price fixed at Rs3000 for the rest of the fiscal year 2022-23, CM said.

Chief Minister Punjab, in a session on Tuesday, ordered to register an official protest against the federal government for the ill-provision of wheat to the most populous province of the country. The Punjab government will write an official letter protesting the situation and also form a cabinet standing committee for wheat, the CM said.

The CM added that the federal government is behaving like a stepmother toward the Punjab government in terms of wheat provision. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of the wheat crop were damaged due to heavy rainfall and floods in the province, they added.

Pervaiz Ellahi said that the province is facing a severe wheat shortage of 1 million tonnes. The federal government has not provided any wheat despite our requests, the CM said.

Moreover, the CM approved fixing the wheat price at Rs3000 per mound for the rest of the fiscal year 2022-23. The fixation of price would facilitate farmers in cowing the next wheat crop, he said.

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Pervaiz also ordered stricken the checking process at provincial borders to stop the smuggling of wheat and flour to other provinces. Wheat and flour and cheaper in Punjab in comparison to other provinces said the CM.