KP govt to spend Rs34b on provision of subsidised flour

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has enhanced its annual wheat purchase target from 1.1 million tonnes to 1.4 million tonnes, while an amount of Rs34 billion would be spent on provision of subsidised flour to the people.

Provincial Minister for Food Atif Khan, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif and MPA Zahir Shah Toru made this announcement while addressing a joint press conference here on Thursday.

They said that provision of subsidised flour by government would help in controlling the prices of the essential commodity in the market.

They also appealed to the Punjab government to not impose ban on the movement of wheat and flour to KP for ensuring the supply of staple food at controlled rates to people.

In the wake of ban on wheat, flour movement from Punjab to KP, prices in our local market increase, which ends up burdening the people, they added.

Last year, they said, a 20 kg of flour bag was sold at subsidised rate of Rs1,100, but this year price would be reduced further. It had been decided that 20 kg of flour bag would be provided to people at the price of Rs980 and 10 kg bag at Rs490, they said, adding that these flour bags will be sold on official rates at registered selected/sales points to be set up throughout the province.

“The subsidised flour would be available in green color bags and cannot be sold at exorbitant prices”, they underlined.

They also advised the public to lodge their complaints with Food Department if any mishandling was observed in process of distribution of flour bags at official rates. In the upcoming budget for the Fiscal Year 2022-23, an amount of Rs26 billion was reserved for ‘’Insaf Food Card’’ which will start functioning from July, the Minister informed.

Through Insaf Food Card an amount of Rs2,100 would be given to one million families while the total number of people to benefit from the scheme was around five million, they continued.

Selection of beneficiary for Insaf Food Card would be made on the basis of survey conducted under Ehsaas Programme, they concluded.