Provincial Minister for Industries & Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal presided over taskforce for price control meeting at CM Office today in which availability of flour and its prices came under review in detail. Provincial Food Minister Samiullah Chaudhry, Provincial Agriculture Minister Nauman Akhtar Langrial, Secretary Industries & Trade, Secretaries of concerned departments and other high officials participated in the meeting while Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners also participated in the meeting via video link across the province. Mian Aslam Iqbal while addressing the participants directed that the process of supply of wheat to flour mills, preparation of flour and its supply to the markets should be completely monitored. He further said that flour mills will have to prepare flour according to the wheat being supplied. There is no flour crisis in Punjab and surplus reserves of wheat are available, he added. Due to weakness of monitoring mechanism such a situation has arisen. Government has decided to supply 500kg subsidized wheat to the registered Chakkis of Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad and the process of wheat supply has already started where flour will be available at the rate ranging from Rs42 to 45 per kg. A comprehensive system should be formulated to monitor the process of provision of wheat to the Chakkis and the process of its preparation, he directed. Profiteers and hoarders mafia will be defeated jointly. Aslam Iqbal also directed to ensure supply of flour at big stores and there should not be any 15kg flour bag in the market as focus should be given on 10 and 20kg flour bags. Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners should visit model bazaars and give their proposals for bringing improvements, he concluded.
