Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin and Punjab government spokesman Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri said in a press conference Saturday that transport fares have been reduced by eight to 10 percent while prices of essential items would also be reduce considerably.
During the conference also attended by secretaries of Industry, Transport, Labour and Information departments, the minister said that Rs 50 had been reduced in a Rs 600 fare while Rs 75 has been reduced in a fare of Rs 1,000 and Rs 150 in the fare of above Rs 1,000.
Yasin said that fares of buses plying on metalled roads had been reduced from Rs 1.06 to 98 paisas per kilometre. Similarly, the fare of buses running on non-metalled roads had been reduced from Rs 1.11 to Rs 1.03 whereas the fare on hilly roads had been reduced from Rs 1.16 to Rs 1.08. He further said that Rs 3 had been reduced in the fare of buses plying on urban route.
Yasin said that eight percent reduction had also been made in fares of goods transport. The price of 20 kg flour bag is Rs 785 for the last two years. Moreover, the price of sugar would be reduced to Rs 55 and this would be a permanent price reduction.
Yasin said that after the decrease in prices of petroleum products by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab government took immediate steps for implementation. He said that sale of petrol and diesel at new prices had been ensured after last midnight.