Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro on Monday directed the provincial governments to ensure uninterrupted supply of wheat flour to overcome the crisis.
Presiding over a meeting here in PM Secretariat to review the wheat stock position and supply of wheat flour in the country, he said that the provinces have an important role to play in the distribution of wheat flour to the people.
He directed the provincial governments to specially monitor the release and milling of wheat, and establish sale centres for atta. The Prime Minister said that monitoring should be so effective as to ensure that wheat does not cross the national borders.
The meeting was informed that there is no shortage of wheat in the country and flour supply was suspended only due to violence after the Liaquat Bagh incident. However, it was added that the situation would return to normal in a couple of days.
Soomro said that the issue is both sensitive and significant and needs immediate attention, and added that the provinces have an important role to play in the distribution and milling of wheat. The PM said that hoarding has to be eliminated and all concerned organisations have to be over-active to curb this menace. He said that public interest should be supreme in handling the atta situation so that the shortage could be overcome.
He said the government would take serious note of the whole process, starting from release of wheat to grinding, and its marketing and availability to common people. The Prime Minister directed the provinces to increase their wheat storage capacity for future so that they always have sufficient wheat in reserve at all times. He said that silos should be established in different parts of the country.
Later, briefing the newsmen, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Essa Jan, said that 32,000 tons wheat had been released to the four provinces to meet the crisis.
He said the meeting had decided to increase monthly supply of atta from 50,000 tons to 100,000 tons at Utility Stores. He said the crisis of wheat flour would be overcome within three days. The Minister said that there is no shortage of wheat in the country, with enough stock of 1.5 million tons.
He said to meet the shortage, wheat was also being imported, and 900,000 tons of wheat would arrive on January 15, while another 600,000 tons wheat would arrive by the end of this month.
He said that Punjab government is releasing 21,000 tons wheat daily from its stocks to the flour mills, Sindh government 6000 tons, NWFP government 3000 tons and Balochistan government 1200 tons. Essa said that shortage of atta was due to the closure of flour mills, because of power breakdown. He said now as the supply of power is improving the grinding of wheat would also improve which would stabilise the prices of atta also.
He said that atta is available at Utility Stores at Rs 13 per kg. The Minister said that the meeting had decided that inter-provincial movement of wheat would not be disrupted. However, the provincial governments would ensure supply of atta from millers to the consumers. He said provincial governments would closely monitor the operations of flour mills which should not close down milling.
He said that it was also decided in the meeting that load-shedding for flour mills would be planned and co-ordinated with Wapda so that they could grind wheat to maximum capacity.
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