Wheat supply to mills begins in Punjab

LAHORE:The Punjab government has notified releasing wheat to flour mills. According to a spokesman for the Punjab Food Department, all the districts will have population-based wheat quota. The spokesman said here on Wednesday that supply of wheat to functional flour mills across the province had started. To make the flour prices stable, the government offered the millers its wheat stock at official cheap rate.

He said wheat would be supplied to flour mills at the rate of Rs 1,475 per 40-kg. Ex-mill price of 20-kg flour bag is Rs 837 and retail price is Rs 860. While ex-mill price of 10-kg flour bag would be Rs 419 and retail price will be Rs 430, the spokesman added. Meanwhile, Minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal and Chief Secretary Punjab Jawwad Rafique Malik jointly chaired a meeting held at the CS Camp Office to review the action against hoarders of flour and sugar here on Wednesday.

Commissioner, Lahore Division, Danish Afzal, CCPO Zulfiqar Hameed and officers concerned attended the meeting while divisional commissioners, RPOs, deputy commissioners, and DPOs participated through a video link. The meeting decided to carry out physical verification of stocks in flour and sugar mills and take stern action in case of non-cooperation by the millers.

The chief secretary asked the administrative officers to send verified reports on stocks as soon as possible. He directed that under the anti-hoarding law action be taken against the mills that are not giving supply in the market in accordance with their stocks.

These mills’ stocks must be confiscated and sold in the market at government rates within the 24 hours, added. The chief secretary said that it was the responsibility of the district administration to ensure the sale of flour and sugar at the official rates and the administrative officer, who is not providing relief to the people, would be removed from his post. The meeting also decided to shift cattle markets out of the cities in connection with Eidul Azha.