Punjab Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal on Tuesday directed the concerned officials to monitor the process of supply of wheat to flour mills, preparation of flour and its supply to the markets.

He issued these directions while presiding over a meeting of the taskforce for price control in which availability of flour and its prices came under review in detail. Punjab Food Minister Samiullah Chaudhry, Punjab Agriculture Minister Nauman Akhtar Langrial, Secretary Industries and Trade, secretaries of concerned departments and other high officials participated in the meeting while commissioners and deputy commissioners also participated in the meeting via video link.

While addressing the meetings, he said flour mills will have to prepare flour according to the wheat being supplied; there is no flour crisis in Punjab and surplus reserves of wheat are available. "Due to weakness of monitoring mechanism such a situation has arisen," he added.

According to him, the Punjab government has decided to supply 500-kg subsidized wheat to the registered 'chakkis' of Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad and the process of wheat supply has already started where flour will be available at the rate ranging from Rs 42 to 45 per kg. He directed that a comprehensive system should be formulated to monitor the process of provision of wheat to the 'chakkis' and the process of its preparation.

"Profiteers and hoarders mafia will be defeated jointly," he added. Iqbal also directed the officials to ensure supply of flour at big stores and there should not be any 15-kg flour bag in the market as focus should be given on 10-kg and 20-kg flour bags. "The commissioners and deputy commissioners should visit model bazaars and give their proposals for bringing improvements," he added.