Punjab increases wheat quota to flour mills for stabilising price

LAHORE: The Punjab government has taken a major step for stabilising price of flour by increasing the wheat quota to the mills over the directives of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Usman Buzdar said in a statement that Punjab government will provide 25,000 tons of wheat to flour mills on a daily basis in view of public interests. He said that Punjab is the only province where 20-kilogram flour sack is available at the price of Rs860.

The chief minister added that he was personally monitoring the flour prices and dispatch of stocks to mills for ensuring the provision of relief to the citizens.

Read: Sindh govt starts releasing wheat quota for flour mills

Earlier, CM Usman Buzdar said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government in Punjab increased support price of wheat in 2019 and 2020 besides ensuring payments to farmers in a timely and respectful manner.

In another tweet, he said that PTI government continued its farmer-friendly policies by increasing price of wheat crops up to Rs200 in a historical step and decided to pay Rs1,600 a ton. The past government had restricted the wheat price up to Rs1,300 which led to the diminution of production.

On October 21, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government had also announced to ensure supplies of low-cost flour to its citizens by increasing the daily quota of wheat to the flour mills.

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Kamran Bangash, told ARY News that the provincial government has increased the daily wheat quota to flour mills up to 1,000 metric tons.

Read: Flour prices hiked up to Rs2 per kilogram in Lahore

He detailed that 4,000 metric tons of wheat is being dispatched to flour mills across the province from today and Rs13 billion subsidy is being provided for low-cost flour supplies.

Bangash said that the provincial authorities were closely monitoring the flour supplies and put a strict check and balance on the flour mills and dealers.

The special assistant added that the government commenced homework for finalising the locations for the establishment of Insaf Sasta Bazaar. He announced that four bazaars will be established in Peshawar and 12 more in other districts of KP.