LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Saturday said that food had always been the basic necessity of human beings and it was the most important issue in the present age.
In a message issued here, in connection with the World Food Day that will be observed tomorrow (Sunday), the Chief Minister said that those who had surplus food should share it with the less-fortunate people of the society. He said that the purpose of observing World Food Day was to create awareness about hunger, starvation and insufficient supply of food.
CM said that the basic purpose of this day was to consider important issues pertaining to shortage of food and evolve practicable recommendations.
Shehbaz Sharif said that the day was also important due to the fact that it was aimed at promoting public awareness to eliminate the causes of hunger and poverty. He further said that in order to deal with the issues of poverty and non-availability of food, it was necessary that such policies should be evolved as could help increase the income of low-income segments.
He said that keeping in view the problem of shortage of food, Punjab government had started short, medium and long-term projects. The Chief Minister said that government was giving various incentives in agriculture sector for ensuring food security. He said that provincial government was taking solid measures to ensure availability of food to those suffering from hunger and starvation.
CM said that government was implementing huge projects for ensuring supply of healthy and balanced diet to the masses. Shehbaz Sharif further said that awareness was the first step towards food conservation. The Chief Minister said that on this day, there was a need to adopt such measures as could ensure availability of food to every citizen.
He said that in order to ensure food security it was necessary that government, research and financial institutions and civil society should have close interaction. He said that due to imbalance between demand and supply, food crisis could create law and order problem in the world.
