Ramazan package to provide relief to people: Aleem Khan

LAHORE:Senior and Food Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan said that in order to provide relief to the people across Punjab as per the special instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan the Ramazan package has been fully prepared; he said this while addressing a press conference on wheat procurement and Ramazan package here on Friday.

Abdul Aleem Khan added that Prime Minister Imran Khan has been convening meetings every week to review the prices of food items. He said that work on wheat procurement centers across the province should also start from tomorrow and Government will give farmers a record price of Rs 1800 per maund of wheat with an increase of Rs 400.

Aleem said that a 20 kg bag of flour has been available in Punjab for Rs 860 throughout the year. He said that in Ramazan Bazaars 10kg bag of "atta" will be available at Rs 375 while there will also be a 25% discount on vegetables and other food items and sugar at Rs 65 per kg with a discount of Rs 20.

Replying to a question, Aleem Khan said that Ramazan bazaars would be converted into "Sahulat Bazaars" after Eid so that subsidy to the citizens could continue. Abdul Aleem Khan said that while a bag of flour in Punjab was being sold at Rs. 860 the same bag was being sold in Sindh for Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,400, which was a great injustice to the people of Sindh.

He asked the Sindh Government to decide a clear subsidy for farmers like Punjab so that wheat and flour can be sold in Punjab, Sindh and KPK at the same price. Replying to a question, Abdul Aleem Khan said that the wheat procurement season has started at present, therefore wheat cannot be released to the flour mills at the same time, so we are keeping a separate green colour for low cost flour bags. There will be a price mentioned on these bags also so that this "atta" can be available only to the needy citizens in Ramazan bazaars.