Food controller seeks increased wheat quota for Gujrat.

GUJRAT -- The district food controller (DFC) has sought enhancement in the wheat quota for Gujrat that he claims is the lowest among all divisional headquarters of Punjab as well as other districts of the region.

The urban centres of the district, including Gujrat city, Lalamusa, Jalalpur Jattan and others, have been facing a shortage of flour supply in the wake of growing demand in the market, while long queues could be witnessed since early in the morning outside the main sale points of flour mills, presenting a crisis-like situation.

As per a letter written to the deputy commissioner, the DFC stated that currently the district's mills were getting 11.97 bags per body each weighing 100 kilogrammes, which was insufficient to cater to the local needs. In 2021, the district's wheat quota was 15.57 bags per body and 18.20 in 2020.

Gujrat is already among the deficit districts in terms of wheat crop production. Moreover, the DFC said the development of housing schemes had further reduced the cultivated land and after having been given the status of a divisional headquarter its urban population had increased in recent years.

The industrial workers and other low-income groups relied on subsidised flour bags, which was also a reason for the...