Govt mulls to reduce flour price: minister

LAHORE : Various stakeholders of wheat market on Thursday reviewed different factors with regard to creating stability in flour price and different proposals were also given final shape in this regard.

Minister for Food Sami Ullah Ch chaired a review meeting regarding demand and supply of flour. Agriculture Minister Noman Ahmed Langriyal, Senior Member Board of Revenue Shaukat Ali, Secretary Food Zafar Nasrullah Khan, Secretary HUD&PHE Muhammad Shafiq Ahmed, Director Food Wajid Ali Shah and Chairman Punjab Flour Mills Association Asim Raza Ahmed participated in the meeting.

Sami Ullah Ch addressing the participants said the government believes in providing quality-based and nutrition-rich flour to people and no compromise of any sort will be made on its quality. He said 20-kg flour bag price presently amounts to Rs 808 while the government wants to reduce flour price by further bringing down internal and emergency expenditure. The Punjab government released wheat at low price to flour mills at the cost of Rs 1,375 mound, he added. Currently, price of one mound wheat in the market costs Rs 1600, he said.

Punjab Flour Mills Association Chairman Asim Raza assured full cooperation on behalf of Flour Mills Association with regard to quality of flour and stability in its price. During the meeting different factors with regard to creating stability in flour price-setting, parameters, flour price and selling price were reviewed in detail and different proposals were also given final shape in this regard.

monitoring of prices of 18 essential items: Punjab Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal on Thursday said that monitoring of prices of 18 essential items including flour, ghee and pulses should be done in all districts of the province.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, the minister said the line departments should keep a vigilant eye on availability, quality and prices of essential items as it is their responsibility to ensure their sale on fixed rates.

Price-control magistrates should also remain active in the field and discharge their duties diligently.

He said a crackdown should continue on illegal profiteers and hoarders. Instructions issued in line with the decisions made by the taskforce on price-control should be ensured, he said. He made it clear that any inordinate delay in redress of complaints received through the toll-free numbers was not tolerable and action would be initiated against the persons showing negligence in addressing complaints received in connection with the prices of daily-use items.

Mian Aslam Iqbal directed the line departments to take immediate action against elements involved in price-hike, variation in measurement and sale of substandard items. He said the officers associated with the mechanism of price-control should remain available in the field to provide relief to the masses. "It is time to serve masses, instead of sitting in offices as the government has taken concrete steps to provide quality items on subsidised rates," he added.

He said that model bazaars were being set up throughout the province to provide substantial relief to the public and it has also been decided to introduce a new system of fair-price shops in the province, concluded the minister.