Food Security Dashboard to monitor consumption, availability of basic commodities, PM told

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran khan was on Thursday told that after technical completion of the Food Security Dashboard prepared in cooperation with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) has been handed over to the Ministry of Food Security.

He was presiding over the weekly meetings of the priority sectors including Agriculture, Economic Outreach and Knowledge Economy.

The high level meeting on agriculture was attended by Federal Ministers Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Syed Fakhar Imam, Advisor Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant Dr Moeed Yusuf and senior officers concerned. Besides, Chief Secretaries of the four provinces attended the meeting through video-link.

The prime minister was told that the acquisition of data from provinces was being ensured for decision making with the help of dashboard and for that purpose the capacity of provincial departments was also being enhanced.

It was further told that in addition to ensuring the collection of data from public and private sources, the dashboard will also monitor the consumption and availability of sugar and wheat besides the low shelf life commodities like vegetables in the country.

The meeting was also told about strict monitoring of sugar sale and the acquisition of information from`Atta Chakis’ for the collection of accurate data.

The prime minister while appreciating the measures stressed for activation of the dashboard on priority basis.

He further said that since the next ten years were very important for Pakistan in terms of food security, the project of dashboard should be strictly implemented and the institutions showing slackness in providing data should be proceeded against.

The prime minister directing for transparent monitoring of the sale of sugar from the mills said accurate data had vital importance in decision making and saving the country from future crises.