Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif warned that black marketing of wheat will not be tolerated at any cost and an indiscriminate action will be taken against the elements involved in black marketing of the commodity. He, however, said that the Punjab government has had surplus wheat stock that is sufficient to meet food needs of the province. He said that there is no shortage of wheat or flour in any area and the prices are not increased.

The Chief Minister expressed these views while presiding over a high level meeting here at Model Town to review wheat stocks and prices in the province. Senior adviser to CM Senator Sardar Zulfikar Ali Khan Khosa, Senator Pervez Rashid, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, Agriculture Minister Ahmed Ali Olakh, Adviser Manshaullah Butt, MNA Saood Majeed, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning and Development, Secretaries Finance, Agriculture, Industry and concerning officials were present on the occasion.

The Chief Minister said that the Punjab government currently has had 2.7 million tonne of wheat stocks that are sufficient to meet food needs of the province till the arrival of new crop; while the required wheat is also available for food security. He ordered the authorities to provide Rs 15 subsidy on each flour bag in Sunday and Friday bazaars. He said that Punjab Government is running a number of welfare programmes for the down-trodden people and lakhs of families are benefiting from them. The Chief Minister directed that the prices of wheat and flour should be reviewed on weekly basis and report be submitted to him in this regard. The Secretary Food gave a detailed briefing about the present stock of wheat and the new crop during the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2013