LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal reviewed various proposals to finalise Ramzan package while chairing a meeting of Cabinet Committee for Price Control here Saturday.
The meeting decided to establish additional Ramzan Bazaars in the province for the provision of relief to common men and the utility stores would also be used for this purpose.
About 19 items would be available at subsidised rate at fair price shops in Ramzan Bazaars, while Sugar Mills Association also agreed to provide sugar at Rs 54 kilogram.
The meeting also considered a proposal to provide bag hampers to poor families at their doorstep.
Provincial Minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal said that Ramzan Bazaars aimed to provide relief to the poor.
He mentioned that Ramzan package was being finalised in consultation with poultry association, flour mills association, sugar mills association, and other trader unions, assuring that quantity and quality of commodities to be sold in Ramzan Bazaars would not be compromised.
Mian Aslam also directed the authorities concerned to improve market committees and make them fully functional. Such a mechanism would be evolved for the provision of wheat to flour mills that only common men could benefit from it, and no one would be allowed to create an artificial shortage.
He directed to finalise the payment schedule of sugarcane growers with the remaining sugar mills and Kisan Ittehad.
Provincial Minister for Food Samiullah Chaudhary said that the traditional Ramzan package model continued for the last many years was not useful and “We will have to take proper steps for provision of relief to common men. Field force should also be activated.”
Provincial Agriculture Minister Noman Akhtar Langrial stressed the need for fully implementation of the decisions and policies.
Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakhat, departmental secretaries, Managing Director of Utility Stores and other officers concerned attended the meeting.
Later, a delegation of Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) called on Mian Aslam Iqbal to discuss Ramzan package 2019 and provision of flour at subsidised rates.
On this occasion, Provincial Minister said that Punjab government was establishing Ramzan Bazaars in the whole province, and the flour provided by PFMA at subsidised rates in Ramzan Bazaars would benefit the common man only. Flour Mills Association agreed to provide flour at subsidised rates in Ramzan Bazaars.
Provincial Ministers Noman Akhtar Langrial and Samiullah Chaudhary, Secretaries of Food and Industries departments were also present.