KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Friday presided over a meeting regarding release of Wheat Crop-2011 at Chief Minister's House here.
The Chief Minister discussed the wheat position in the province together with supply of Wheat-flour on subsidized rate to poor people during the holy month of Ramadan-ul-Mubarak, said a statement. The Sindh Food Minister and Secretary Food Sindh in their presentations informed the CM that the provincial food department has almost achieved its target of procurement of wheat on June 30, and the department has procured 1.403 million metric tonnes of wheat, as against the target of 1.500 MMT.
They informed that the department has a 1.523 MMT wheat stocks, which are sufficient for the province of Sindh to cater for the annual requirement. The chakky-owners of Hyderabad Region have also demanded the release of wheat due to high price of wheat in open market, they added.
They further said that the government is expected to sustain Rs4058.870 million on the stocks of 1.200 MMT depending upon market rates which are however, fluctuating.
The loss so accrue shall have to be borne by the Provincial Government, they said.
They further added that wheat is perishable commodity and due to infestation, deterioration and prolong storage lose its quality and quantity.
Under the circumstances and for stability in the market, they proposed that existing issue price may be implemented from July, 2011 onward.
However, any increase in price definitely will cause increase in flour prices in the province, they said.
The CM Sindh approved that present subsidized rate of Rs.975/- per 40 kilograms should continue and in case of increase of price of wheat in market the subsidized rate may be enhanced in consultation with the Finance Department.
He also directed the Revenue and Food Department to properly monitor process of distribution of flour being provided to poor people at subsidised rate of Rs 21/- per k.g during the holy month of Ramazan, as there are complaints that flour is not being provided properly to poor. The meeting was attended by Sindh Food Minister Mir Nadir Ali Magsi, Minister Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Sindh Raja Muhammad Abbas and other officials.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.