A vigilant eye would be kept on the prices in open market: Bilal Yaseen

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Food and Chairman Cabinet Price Control Committee Punjab, Bilal Yaseen has said that a vigilant eye would be kept on the prices in open market as well as Ramadan Bazars so that the hoarders and profiteers could be taken to task.

He was presiding over a meeting of the Committee at Civil Secretariat, here today.

Chief Secretary Punjab, Additional Chief Secretary Punjab, Secretaries Agriculture, Industry, Food, Health, Livestock and Information Departments, Commissioner Lahore, DCO Lahore and all Divisional Commissioners (on-line) attended the meeting.

Apprising the situation of Ramazan Bazaar of their concerned districts, the Commissioners informed the meeting that the district administration is ensuring provision of daily use items to the consumers on subsidized rates on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister. It was also informed that the cases are being registered and fines are being imposed to the hoarders and profiteers. There is Rs.4 to 5 decrease in the prices of pulses and vegetables in Faisalabad division as compared to other districts. The Commissioners informed about the situation of flour that the trucks of flour are available in the Ramzan bazaars while the purchasers are less in number.

The meeting was informed that up-till now 16940 kg sugar has been sold in Lahore while 15 to 17 thousand consumers visit each Ramazan bazaar for purchasing daily use items. Likewise, the number of Ramazan dastarkhawan has been enhanced in the province and about 1700 Rmazan dastarkhwan remain open during for sehr-and-iftar. Secretary Livestock informed that keeping in view the demand of potato and tomato 102 trucks of tomatoes from India and 10 trucks from Peshawar have reached in Lahore market and there is no shortage of potato and tomato in Ramazan bazzars and are available in abundant on subsidized rates.

Bilal Yasin directed that the sugar should be sold in plastic bags duly stamped with Punjab government’s monogram. Due to availability of flour in abundance than demand, the philanthropists have been allowed to purchase flour on subsidized rates from Ramazan Bazars. He directed the district administration to keep a vigilant eye on the prices of edibles in the open market and ensure the quality and quantity of fruits and vegetables. He said that the hoarders and profiteers should be dealt with an iron hand during Ramazan ul Mubarak and the big fish should be arrested and cases would be registered against them.