Punjab local government minister discusses issue of atta supply to Sindh

22 Oct, 2008

The Punjab Local Government Minister, Sardar Dost Mohammed Khosa has said that Punjab will not leave Sindh alone in difficult situation and provide atta to its border districts so that Sindh Government could fully focus on Karachi, Hyderabad and other urban centres for atta supply.
He stated this in a meeting with Sindh Food Minister, Nawabzada. Nadir Magsi at his office here Tuesday. The meeting was held on the directive of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
In the meeting they exchanged views on supply of atta to people at the government fixed rate and to overcome wheat shortage. Sardar Khosa pointed out that demand and supply was the major issue in atta crisis and Punjab and Sindh Governments will pay attention to check wheat smuggling through a joint strategy. In this regard, Sindh will have to set-up special tribunals as established in the Punjab.
He informed that in the Punjab, besides people involved in wheat smuggling, direct cases are being registered against truck drivers and owners of truck stands for which officials of Revenue department have been delegated special powers.
Sardar Khosa assured that Punjab government will supply best quality wheat seed to Sindh for wheat cultivation and instructions issued to Punjab Seed Corporation in this respect. He suggested the Sindh Government to set-up Rs 2 bread `tandoors' like the ones in Punjab and supply atta directly to them which would immensely benefit the large segnents of population.
He emphasised upon adopting joint strategy by Sindh and Punjab governments for organised security system at their borders. He said. Punjab considers problem of any province as a national issue and would continue to coooperate to overcome the same.
Earlier SSindh Food Minister Nadir Magsi spotlighted the various reasons responsible for wheat shortage in the province and basically it was smuggling. He said Sindh Government is providing flour mills in such a quantity whereby atta crisis may not turn acute in the future.
He appreciated the Punjab government's measures regarding atta supply and said taking advantage of the same Sindh Government would not hesitate to initiate stringent action to overcome atta shortage here. The meeting was attended, among others, by Additional CS Punjab Javed Aslam, Food Secretary Irfan Elahi and Sindh Food Secretary Aiijaz Ali Khan.

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