PESHAWAR: “The KP government on Tuesday decided to procure 1.4 million metric tons of wheat instead of 1.2 million metric tons for 2022-23. The wheat procurement process would be completed into two different phases for which approximately Rs 2,559 million would be spent”.

This was stated by Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif while briefing media regarding decisions taken during a meeting of the provincial cabinet that was chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan held, here on Tuesday.

Saif said that the KP cabinet decided to increase wheat procurement by less than two percent metric tons, according to which the province will procure 1.4 metric tons of wheat instead of 1.2 metric tons for 2022-23.

He said the decision was taken while keeping in view increasing requirements and apprehension of shortage of this food commodity.

The procurement process would be completed in two phases, the SACM said. He added Rs 2,559 million is being estimated to be spent on wheat procurement.

Barrister Saif said if KP won’t get wheat from Punjab, then it will approach Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Service Corporation (PASSCO) or Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).

The SACM said the KP Food department has assured that there will be no shortage of wheat in the province.

He said flour mills will be provided wheat in May, June and July in the current year.

Saif said the KP government had decided to launch the Insaf Food Card Programme.

Under the proposed IFC programme, he informed more than one million poor and needy families would be provided Rs 2,100 per month for flour and other essential food items.

The SACM said the proposed programme will be formally launched from July next fiscal year.

He said an estimated cost of Rs 26 billion would be spent on Insaf Food Card Programme. He said the data of Ehsaas Programme would be utilized for the IFC Programme.

Barrister Saif said the KP government has decided to come out of Benazir Income Support Programme. He alleged the present imported government has included undeserving people in the BISP.

The SACM said all programmes will continue under the Ehsaas Programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He assured that public relief programmes will not be suspended in the province.

Saif said the provincial cabinet has approved giving 268 acres of land of provincial Auqaf department in Abbottabad to KP Sports department for construction of a sports complex.

He said the provincial cabinet had approved the proposed draft regarding regularizing employees of KP Installment Operation and Revenue Academy.

The SACM said the provincial cabinet also gave approval for extension in memorandum of understanding (MoU) for Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) in the newly-merged districts (NMDs) till 2023.

Under the project, he said the schemes of roads infrastructure, bridges, construction of schools, laboratories, basic health units/centres in the newly-merged districts would be completed.

The SACM said that the provincial cabinet also approved the appointment of two members in provincial textbook board for editorial and production, and member sales and production Abdul Wali and Dr Sumaira Taj respectively.

While talking about current political and economic crises in the country, Saif said the present imported government will not survive long.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022