LAHORE, March 4: The Punjab government has allowed increase in flour price and not objected to the enhancement in transport fares, deciding to notify them after seeking public opinion.

The decision to the effect was taken at a meeting which was presided over by Chief Secretary Salman Siddique here on Tuesday night. Besides senior officers concerned, the meeting was attended by representatives of flour mills association, including Khaliq Arshad, Haji Bashir and Haji Maqsood.

Sources said the government had allowed increase in the ex-mill price of 20kg wheat flour to Rs290 and the retail price to Rs300. The flour mills had themselves announced these prices two days ago and the government asked them to explain the reason for the enhancement. The previous official rate of a 20-kg bag was Rs285 (ex-mill) and Rs295 (retail).

Sources said the increase in the flour price was allowed after the millers convinced the chief secretary that their cost of production had increased because of the recent hike in the oil and power rates.

It was stated that the reduction in the daily supply of wheat to millers from 21,000 tons to 18,000 tons had increased the production cost. It was also stated that the rates of flour were less in Punjab than in the NWFP and Sindh despite the fact that the support price of wheat was the same in the latter two provinces.

Meanwhile, the sources said, the meeting also discussed the increase in the fares of public transport made by transporters without taking the government into confidence. It did not object to the increase in the wake of enhancement in the oil prices.

The chief secretary directed the transport secretary to properly publicise any increase in the fares of public transport on inter- or intra-city routes. Besides consulting transporters, it should also seek opinion of NGOs and common people. A decision to be taken through this procedure should be widely publicised, he stressed.

The meeting was informed that the prices of sugar, flour, eggs and tomatoes had shown a decline. However, the price of vegetable ghee was increased by Rs9.97 per kg. —Intikhab Hanif