Black gram and lemon would be provided on subsidized rate in Ramzan bazars: ACS Punjab

Lahore: Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Shumail Ahmad Khawaja has announced to supply black gram and lemon fruit on subsidized rate in 318 Ramazan bazaars and Fair Price Shops installed in the Ramazan bazaars by Agriculture Department. This step will help redress the public complaints regarding shortage of both these food items in Ramazan bazaars.

While presiding over a meeting to review the implementation plan of Ramazan Package here at Civil Secretariat, Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Shamail Ahmad Khawaja asked all the District Coordination Officers and 1756 Price Control Magistrates to work hard in monitoring the quality, price and supply position of the perishable as well as non-perishable edibles and especially control any price-hike by the Commission Agents so that the fruits of subsidy given by Punjab government to the common man should reach them in the real sense and the people rightly feel relief from artificial profiteering during sacred month of Ramazan.

He directed that the consumers should not be asked to produce their computerized national identity cards for purchasing sugar or any other daily use item because it discourages them to make use of the government subsidy for no reason. The meeting was told that 405 metric ton sugar has been sold in Ramazan bazaars during the last week and the government has managed to provide 15 thousand ton sugar on subsidized rate to the fasting people of the province during the holy month of Ramazan. So there is no need to create un-necessary hustle and bustle while purchasing sugar.

The ACS asked the officials to improve queue management for men, women, senior citizens and disabled persons separately. Secretary Agriculture Punjab Dr. Pervaiz Ahmed Khan and Special Secretary Agri Marketing Dr. Farah Masood presented detailed briefings regarding demand and supply situation of the daily use edibles all over the province which was found satisfactory.

It was also noted with a great satisfaction that 1974 Madni Dastarkhawns have provided one lakh 65 thousand persons free of cost sehri and iftar in 36 districts of Punjab during the last week. Additional Secretary Information & Culture Punjab Syed Tahir Raza Hamdani apprised the meeting of public complaints regarding substandard fruits and vegetables being provided to the common man in Ramazan bazaars.

The Additional Chief Secretary directed the concerned officials to take stringent action against the suppliers of substandard items instead of apprehending the retailers so that only better quality essential items would be brought for sale to the consumers in Ramazan bazaars.