Government Addresses Wheat Price Surge Challenges: Adjusts Subsidized Prices to Support Purchasing Power.
Gilgit: The Director of the Gilgit-Baltistan Food Department, Ikram Muhammad, assured the media that the government is taking decisive measures to maintain a plentiful supply of wheat and flour in the province.
With explicit directives from the provincial government, efforts are underway to ensure an uninterrupted flow of flour and wheat to all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. The provincial cabinet, in a recent decision, fixed the price of wheat per bag at 3600 rupees starting January 1. This decision aims to secure the availability of flour across the province.
While a sack of wheat in rural areas will adhere to the new price of 3600 rupees, urban areas, where flour is supplied instead of wheat, may experience a rise in flour prices. The Director clarified that the longstanding practice of consumers bearing transport costs to the threshold contributed to the apparent discrepancy in wheat and flour prices.
Although the federal government’s subsidy remains in place, the director acknowledged challenges due to the national surge in wheat prices. To accommodate the purchasing power of the people, subsidized wheat prices were adjusted, with the government absorbing the remaining shortfall.
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To enhance transparency and fair distribution, the provincial government’s orders have prompted an increase in the quota for subsidized wheat and flour, effective from January 1, 2024. The distribution will now be 21 percent more than the previous quota per person. The Food Department is actively working on reforms to ensure impartial and transparent delivery, promising far-reaching results.
Highlighting the commitment to quality, the Director emphasized that fair distribution is guaranteed through a biometric system, ensuring the public receives superior-quality flour.
