Provincial Minister for Planning and Development Malik Nadeem Kamran has directed to ensure availability of daily use items on fixed rates, strict check also be kept on the prices in open market like Ramzan bazaars, besides continuing the crackdown on overpricing in a vigorous manner.
He issued these directions while presiding over a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Ramzan Plan 2017, at Civil Secretariat here on Thursday.
The minister ordered that arrangements at Ramzan bazaars be improved with a focus on provision of basic facilities and cleanliness there. He said that efforts of deputy commissioners and other officers concerned are praiseworthy for ensuring best arrangements for Ramzan bazaars, however there is a need for further improvement so that relief could be provided to people in real sense.
Punjab Chief Secretary Capt (retd) Zahid Saeed said that the Punjab government has given huge subsidy on flour and sugar, these two items must be available in sufficient quantity. He directed the deputy commissioner to personally monitor the auction process at markets as per the instructions of Chief Minister Punjab. Provincial ministers and top officials have been assigned duties to supervise arrangements for Ramazan bazaars; the deputy commissioner should extend full cooperation to them during their visits, he added.
He also ordered the officers to keep strict watch on the demand and supply of commodities like fruits and vegetables to ensure that there is no shortage of anything. He said that special attention should be paid to quality of daily-use items and weights and measures, besides display of electronic rate lists in Ramzan bazaars.
The meeting was told that on the directions of the Punjab government price control magistrates have sped up crackdown on overpricing and adulteration across the province during the holy month of Ramazan. They conducted raids at 74,764 places, and lodged FIRs against 1612 persons and got arrested 1462 persons over profiteering. As many as 2,886,175 flour bags have been sold in 319 Ramzan bazaars across the province.
Fruits and vegetables are available at fair price shops of Agriculture Department in Ramzan bazaars. The number of Madni Dastarkhawans set up in the province with the help of philanthropists have reached 1870. Those among present were Provincial Minister for Food Bilal Yasin, MPA Haji Nawaz, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Industries, Secretary Information, Deputy Commissioner Lahore, and officers of Agriculture and Livestock departments.
