Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Ejaz Nisar has ordered to take effective measures to supply flour to citizens at a fixed rate. He directed the concerned authorities to ensure maximum supply and stabilising its prices in the market.
He said this while presiding over a high level meeting regarding stability of flour prices at Chief Ministers Secretariat here on Thursday. Chief Secretary Punjab Salman Siddique, Secretary Finance Sohail Ahmad, Secretary Food Ahmad Yar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Yousaf Nasim Khokhar, Director Food Arif Anwar Baloch and other concerned officers were present.
The Chief Minister directed price magistrates and other administrative machinery play due role for controlling the price of the commodity.
He urged to take stern action against the elements involved in hoarding and profiteering, as they cannot be allowed to exploit the poor masses. He said that availability of flour and other essential items should be ensured to the people at reasonable rates through out the province.
The Chief Minister also appreciated the planning of Food Department regarding storage of wheat and management.
Punjab Chief Secretary Salman Siddique said instructions had been issued to all DCOs to take solid measures to tackle the issue without any discrimination. He said that Secretary Home and Secretary Industries have been assigned special task with regard to prices of flour, which are being monitored on daily basis.
Punjab Food Department sources told Business Recorder that the department had decided to distribute lapse quota of wheat among working flourmills twice a week instead of once a week. They said that District Food Controllers (DFCs) would work in collaboration with DCOs to ensure grinding by the flourmills according to the quota.