LAHORE: The Punjab government has strongly protested against the federal government’s double standards for supplying wheat to other provinces while neglecting the needs of Punjab.

Chief Minister Punjab, Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi has expressed his indignation at the behaviour of the federal government for not providing wheat to Punjab. He has formally protested against this discrimination and said that the Punjab government will send a protest letter to the federal government in this regard.

Elahi said that the federal government is step motherly treating Punjab by not providing wheat to it. Several lakh tons of wheat has been lost due to rains and floods in Punjab and the federal government has not provided wheat despite Punjab’s request, he regretted.

Meanwhile, CM Elahi in a meeting approved fixing the support price of wheat at Rs3000 per maund and vowed that this increase will give the farmers full compensation for their hard work and the area under cultivation of wheat will also be increased next year.

Elahi also ordered measures to stop the smuggling of wheat and flour and said that strict monitoring of the exit routes of the province should be ensured. He noted that the prices of wheat and flour are low in Punjab compared to other provinces.

The food department, together with the DPOs and Deputy Commissioners of the respective districts, should tighten the checking system at the exits, he added. Indiscriminate action should be taken against the elements involved in the smuggling of wheat, he said. The Punjab government has also decided to constitute a cabinet standing committee for wheat under the Chief Minister.

Provincial Ministers Sardar Mohsin Leghari, Sardar Hasnain Bahadur Dreshak, Chief Secretary Kamran Afzal, secretaries of food, agriculture, and finance departments, former BoP President Hamish Khan and director food attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022