Profiteers making hay as the sun shines on them this Ramazan
While the provincial government is wasting millions of rupees from the provincial kitty on media advertisements highlighting its achievement in keeping prices of essential items under check, especially in the holy month of Ramazan, vendors and retailers are openly flouting the official price lists at different markets and bazaars of the city.
A survey of markets in the provincial capital has revealed that shopkeepers are openly violating the Punjab Food Department’s price list, display of which is mandatory at all shops. However, the irony in the situation is that despite orders given to the local administration to take stern action against profiteers, it seems that local elected representatives and officials of the district administrations are hands in glove with such elements.
A subsidy of Rs 5 billion was announced by the Punjab government on wheat flour and other essential commodities including vegetables and fruits, however, there has been a phenomenal increase of at least 40 per cent in household items and groceries in open markets and ‘Ramazan bazaars’, leaving the citizens at the mercy of the profiteers.
And it’s not just the prices that the Punjab government has failed in controlling, extremely substandard flour is being provided to the people as part of the “subsidised package” announced by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Citizens of Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Okara, Gujranwala and other main cities have confirmed that most of the stalls set up by the government for selling “subsidised flour” remain deserted all day long because of the poor quality of the kitchen item.
“The only people witnessed buying this flour are the poor who have no other option but to consume whatever is made available to them by the government. It’s a shame that the government is showing such indifferent attitude towards the poor, and that too in the month of Ramazan,” said the sources.
Meanwhile, the average prices of apricot, lychee, peach and basin have increased by 25-35 percent in the ‘sastay Ramazan bazaars’.
Apple is available at Rs 200-250 against the official price of Rs 150 per kg, banana at Rs 150-200 per dozen against Rs 65, apricot at Rs 120 per kg, and peach at Rs 120-160 per kg. Dates which are the most commonly used item in Ramazan, are available at Rs 200-240 per kg.
The average price of mango shot up from Rs 90 per kg to Rs 120 per kg, price of watermelon doubled from Rs 15 per kg to Rs 30 per kg, potatoes of good quality were sold at Rs 80 per kg, ginger was sold at Rs 370 per kg instead of last week’s Rs 260 per kg, prices of green chilli increased by Rs 20 per kg while price of garlic increased from Rs 80 per kilogram to Rs 120.