The Punjab government has decided not to allow any increase in the price of Atta; thus a 10-kg Atta bag will be available at Rs 315 in Ramazan bazaars while a 20-kg bag will be sold at Rs 670 in the open market. This was decided in a meeting presided over by Punjab Chief Secretary Muhammad Javed Aslam. Provincial Food Minister Bilal Yasin, Secretary Food, Secretary Law and Director Food also attended the meeting.
The Chief Secretary said that flour price would be maintained at any cost and stern action would be taken against the elements involved in unjustified increase. He said that the food department had 4.1 million metric tons of wheat in its reserves. He also said that wheat supply to flour mills was started on October 8 last year and the process could be started earlier this year if needed. "In order to stabilise prices of Atta in Punjab, 400,000 metric tons of wheat is being supplied to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Passco reserves so that wheat reserves in Punjab should remain intact to meet the province's requirements," he added.