HYDERABAD, Jan 1: The Sindh food secretary has given an assurance that the wheat crisis in the province will be averted and prices will be stabilized.

Talking to journalists after a meeting with the president and office-bearers of roller flour mills and small grinding units (Chakkis) at the circuit house here on Thursday, the secretary, Mir Mohammad Parhiar, said arrangements had been made to improve the wheat stock position to meet requirements of the people.

He said the Sindh government had entered into a contract with Passco for supply of 100,000 metric tons of wheat and added that the lifting of wheat was in progress.

He said a deal with the Punjab government for supply of 0.2 million metric tons of wheat was expected to be finalized in a couple of days and the lifting would start immediately.

When his attention was drawn towards the release of 50,000 bags of wheat to some flour mills during Eidul Fitr holidays while the mills were closed, he said he had deputed a team of experienced officers to conduct an inquiry into the matter.

He said those found guilty of illegal wheat trading would be taken to task. Responding to a question regarding the supply of government wheat to flour mills who had embezzled wheat amounting to millions of rupees, he said he had sent his teams and had personally visited the flour mills to investigate the matter.

He said the wheat supply to these mills would be stopped. He conceded that there was some mismanagement in the food department. The secretary said he was holding meetings with roller flour mill and Chakki owners to streamline the wheat availability and the price structure.

FARMERS' TRAINING: The Agriculture Extension Sindh director information on Thursday announced that two mobile Zarai cinema units of the agriculture information wing were showing video instructional films on wheat crop, efficient use of water, sunflower cultivation and IPM technology to growers in 100 villages.