As usual, with the induction of holy month of fasting, the Punjab government has set up as many as 318 Ramzan Bazars throughout the province from where the people can buy good quality essential food items at reasonably reduced prices.
Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has also made a commendable announcement about Ramzan Package for which Rs.9 billion have been allocated and relief is being provided to the people by way of subsidised prices of flour bags, pulses, apples, bananas, ghee, cooking oil and other essential items.
According to the reports, within Ramzan Bazars fair price shops have been established from where the people can buy essential food and fruit items at subsidised rates according to their daily requirements for Sehr and Iftar. Authorities concerned have also been directed so ensure price lists of all food items are prominently displayed in all Ramzan Bazars so that people are not overcharged by any mischief element or profiteers.
The relief so being provided may appear not much too many. But then something is better than nothing. Even saving of an amount of Rs.30 to Rs.50 on purchases of essential food items on subsidised rates is good than spending more on costlier items whose quality is also not good.
While appreciating the relief measures taken by the provincial government by setting up Ramzan Bazars, the worthy Chief Minister is requested to ensure that genuinely needy and poor people benefit from the Ramzan package and relief measures thereof and get their required food items in minimum quality and shop keepers and others do not purchase subsidised aatta bags in bulk from Ramzan Bazars and sell these at higher prices at their shops or elsewhere.
It is a bitter fact that somehow during holy month of fasting, we start consuming every food and fruit item more than normal otherwise. This consuming everything more than required is essentially against the spirit of Ramzan ul Mubarak and is not good for our health even otherwise. This is to urge the people not to indulge in panic buying quite unnecessarily and refrain from purchasing food items more than their immediate needs daily. This discouraging panic buying will ensure that more and more needy people benefit from facilities available in Ramzan Bazars and the food items remain available at the fair price shops in abundance throughout.
EM ZEE RIFFAT
Lahore
