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The Ministry of National Food Security has blamed the Punjab government for the rise in wheat and flour prices in the country.
Agreeing with the Cabinet Secretary, Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen said that ministries and divisions should solve problems at their own level but bureaucrats are reluctant to take decisions for fear of NAB. The Ministry of National Food Security also refused to take a decision on the approval of the 22nd, so the summary was allowed to be presented at the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet.
According to a document available to Express, a recent meeting of the federal cabinet presented a summary of urgent advice on awarding the third international tender 2021-22 to be opened on September 7, which was approved by the cabinet. While considering the summary, the Cabinet Secretary pointed out that urgent advice on awarding the third tender for procurement of wheat should not have been brought in the ECC as the decision in this regard is with the concerned ministry and it is a shame. In many cases and matters, the concerned Ministries and Secretaries shy away from financial decision-making at the required forum and bring the matter before the ECC. This is an injustice to the Federal Cabinet and delays in decision making resulting in public. Harms interests.
Agreeing with the Cabinet Secretary, the Finance Minister said that it was true that the concerned ministries and divisions should resolve the issues at their own level but did not agree to decide on awarding wheat tenders due to fear of NAB. Due to this, the concerned ministry was allowed to submit the matter to the ECC.
The Finance Minister told the Federal Cabinet that the hesitation and reluctance to award the tender for procurement of wheat had already damaged the national exchequer and therefore no further delay could be tolerated in this sensitive issue of wheat import. The CC approved the summary.
According to the document, the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of National Food Security informed the Federal Cabinet that although the wheat issue is the responsibility of the Ministry of National Food Security and the Ministry of National Food Security has asked the Trading Corporation of Pakistan to maintain strategic wheat reserves. Wheat was not imported despite repeated requests.
Expressing frustration over the delay in wheat imports, the members of the federal cabinet demanded an explanation from the chairman of the trading corporation and said that the concerned ministries and secretaries should take responsibility for overseeing important matters. Later, the federal cabinet approved the award of the third international tender 2021-22 for the procurement of wheat. Also directed.
In response to the concerns expressed by the members of the Federal Cabinet on the increase in the prices of wheat and flour, the Ministry of National Food Security informed the Federal Cabinet that there were reasonable reserves of wheat in the country but by the Punjab Government. Delays in the release of wheat have pushed up prices.
According to the document, the federal cabinet has directed the Additional Secretary in-charge of the Ministry of National Food Security to request the Punjab government to release wheat immediately to stabilize the prices of flour in the market.
