Wheat procurement target of 900,000 tons at the rate of Rs4,000/40kgs approved

KARACHI: The Sindh government has approved a wheat procurement target of 900,000 tons at the rate of Rs 4,000 per 40 kg.

As per details, the first meeting of new Sindh cabinet was held at CM House presided over by chief minister Murad Ali Shah.

It approved the wheat procurement target. It; however, expressed its reservations about the appointment of the Chairman of the Indus Rivers System Authority (IRSA), stating that it violates the water accord. It said that the chairman of IRSA should be selected from among the members of the provinces or the federal government. No one from outside could be appointed as chairman of IRSA, and doing so would be a clear violation of the accord.

Food Minister Jam Khan Shoro told the meeting a stock of 400,000 tons of wheat is available with the department. He suggested that the department has 800,000 bags of bardana/ bags; therefore the wheat target may be fixed at 800,000.

The department after deliberations and discussions decided to fix a target of 900,000 of wheat to be procured for the crop 2023-24 at a support price of Rs4000 per 40 kg.

The CM directed the food department to procure 100,000 bags/ bardana and mobilise food department teams to start procurement of the wheat at the earliest.

Commissioner Karachi Saleem Rajput briefing the cabinet on the initiative taken to control prices of edible items, particularly during the holy month of Ramzan said that the district administration was conducting raids to control prices.

The district administration from March 6, 2024, onwards conducted 1500 raids, registered 1,150 cases, sealed 14 shops, and recovered Rs7.14 million fine. The chief minister directed his cabinet members to start conducting surprise visits to the markets to control the prices. “I want the notified prices to be ensured in the market,” the CM said and added the raids against the hoarders must continue.

Home Minister Zia Lanjar and IG Police Riffat Mukhtar briefing the cabinet said that from January 1 to March 12, 2024, some 274 murders, 84 cases of kidnapping for ransom and 30 cases of extortion were reported in the entire province.

The police registered 2921 cases of crime against persons, 6486 against property, 4517 local and special law, 163 accidents, and 4643 miscellaneous. The cabinet was told that compared to last year street crime cases in Karachi decreased by 4.18 per cent. At this, the CM said that the crime rates vary month to month and night has come down, but the impact of its reduction has not been felt by the people of this city. He directed the Home Minister to make the SHOs and SSPs of the area accountable.

It was pointed out that the kidnapping cases have increased due to tribal feuds. At this, the CM directed the Home Minister to involve a few ministers, district administration and the police to resolve tribal feuds at the earliest. He added that the kidnapping of innocent people for ransom was unacceptable and strict action must be taken against the dacoits.

The meeting was told that an operation against the drug mafia was in progress and most of the drug peddlers and addicts were involved in street crime. He directed the police to take strict action against the drug mafia and strengthen vigilance.

Senior Minister for Transport Sharjeel Inam Memon said that work on the Red Line project has been stopped which has not only caused serious problems for the people of the area but may cause price escalation.

The CM directed the minister of transport to start speeding up work on the project and remove the bottlenecks, if any.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024