Strict monitoring to be continued for stabilizing prices :Bilal Yaseen

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Food & Chairman Cabinet Price Control Committee Bilal Yasin has said that due to decrease in transport fares, prices of essential items have reduced and fruits of decrease in prices of petroleum products have reached to the people. He said that strict monitoring is continuing for stabilizing prices of daily use items throughout the province.

Bilal Yasin said that on the direction of Chief Minister Punjab, timely steps have been taken for checking the increase in price of potato due to which its price has reduced considerably. He said that all out measures are being taken for ensuring availability of quality items to the people. He said that District Price Control Committees have been activated to monitor the prices of edible items.

He said this while presiding over a high level meeting of Cabinet Price Control Committee at Civil Secretariat, here today. MPAs Muhammad Rafi Rajwara, Mansab Ali, Mian Sarwar, Additional Chief Secretary, secretaries of Agriculture, Industry, Food, Health and Transport departments as well as DG Food Authority attended the meeting.

The meeting was told that decrease in fares have left positive impacts on prices of essential items due to which economic relief was provided to the people.

Secretary Industry told that due to import of potato from India, its price has reduced considerably in the market and hoarders have also started selling potato in the market. He told that federal government has given permission of importing two lakh tons potato from India and its price will further reduce after import from China and Bangladesh before arrival of Ramazan.

The meeting was told that associations are being contacted for further reducing the prices of sugar, ghee and atta. The meeting expressed the hope that prices of these items will be reduced in Ramazan.

Secretary Labour proposed that a separate authority should be set up for checking quality of essential items and weight and measures so that a single department could handle all matters. The meeting agreed to give a legal shape to this proposal.

Bilal Yasin directed DCOs to monitor the prices of essential items on daily basis in their districts so that quality essential items could be available to the people at cheaper rates. He said that no compromise should be made on the prices of edible items. He warned that those creating artificial shortage and hoarders will not be tolerated.