LAHORE: The Punjab Food Department has decided to setup special sale points in 08 major cities of the province in addition to already working 313 “Sahulat Bazaars” to ensure ample supply of flour on subsidized rates.

Special sale points will be set up in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha and Bahawalpur for the sale of subsidized flour.

Decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Department here on Saturday with the Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan in the chair. Minister of Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal, Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik also attended this meeting while the Secretaries of Food, Industry and Agriculture Departments gave a detailed briefing on these special bazaars. Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners across the province also attended the meeting through video link, which reviewed the supplies of food items and working of Sahulat Bazaars.

Aleem Khan said that the Punjab Government is giving a subsidy of Rs 2 billion per month to ensure the supply of flour, which should deliver to the common man. He added that a 20 kg bag of flour was being sold at Rs.860 and the same price should be ensured in these “Sahulat Bazaars”. He also approved the design of “Sasta Atta” bags in the meeting.

He directed that the relief given to the people in the “Sahulat Bazaars” should also be properly advertised so that the common man could know more about these bazaars. He directed that flour mills should be required to clearly write the ex-mill and retail price on flour bags so as not to charge more from the citizens. Regarding prices of flour, he said there is no justification of hike in flour prices since no tax has been levied on flour mills so far.

Chief Secretary Punjab inquired from the Deputy Commissioners of Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur about the “Sahulat Bazars”. He directed all the Deputy Commissioners to go to the market themselves and take stock of the situation on the spot.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021