There is a mafia that controls wheat-sugar-rice in the country. In the past many years we have been experiencing shortages in one or the other item.
These shortages are created to benefit some, at the cost of the masses who suffer as a result.
We are self-sufficient in all these commodities but yet face shortages on regular basis. Shortages are created annually - the product is imported and then, later, it is discovered that there was no shortage.
Our planners at the highest level need to go deep into the causes of this.
Punjab is a major wheat producing province. Others rely on wheat assistance from Punjab. Every year there is shortage of wheat in the Frontier Province and in Balochistan - Sindh.
No system exists where the government can deal with these shortages on an anticipatory basis. A system can be devised to meet such shortages without a hue and cry from the provinces.
There is an uncertainty period when hoarders/black-marketeers benefit and release stocks at a higher rate. It does not sound well when a C.M. of one province challenges the other to bring in transport and take away as much wheat as he desires. Co-ordination should be the federation's task. This need to be streamlined whether it be wheat-sugar-rice etc.
The poor man has been hit hard with the cost of bread going up from Rs 2.00 Rs 2.50. The price of atta has reached record high, beating al past prices.
Balancing one's income with expenditure has became a difficult task for the poor.
The government occasionally speaks of the hike in salaries but nothing on the ground materialises. Where are we heading in the Poverty Alleviation Programme?
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