Good governance needed to control dearness

Rawalpindi: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif adopted the routine procedure to provide Ramazan relief package, as only 5 to 10 per cent people are registered with Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) while over 80 per cent people are not registered with BISP, people belonged to different walks of life told 'The News' here on Thursday.

For over five years, people are facing difficulties because inflation ratio touched to 44 per cent from 4 per cent in 2018. But, Punjab government is provide a costly package to only 5 to 10 per cent people rather to adopt 'good governance mechanism' to control profiteers and hoarders.

Some key post officials from 'Negahban Relief Package' on condition of anonymity told 'The News' that Punjab government paying a big cost of a pack in which 10-kilogram 'atta', 2-kilogram sugar, 2-kilogram ghee, 2-kilogram basin and 2-kilogram rice included. Punjab government paying the overall cost of a bag at about Rs6,000 in which food items of only Rs4,200 are packed and around Rs1,800 were cost for printing, carriage and some other miscellaneous expense.

The residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad said that if Punjab Chief Minister wanted to resolve public issues and control inflation she should adopt good governance methods. It is better to reduce the overall prices of some food items like 'atta', onion, potato, ghee, basin, rice and some fruits in open market. A 20-kilogram 'atta' bag is selling at Rs3,000 to Rs3,200. 1-kilogram onion is selling at Rs240, potato at Rs80, basin at Rs320, rice at Rs400 and 1-kilogram ghee is selling in different prices of Rs490 to Rs510.

The residents of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad said that they were happy with the announcement of Chief Minister Punjab that she was going to establish a separate and an independent 'Price Control Department' which will control profiteers and hoarders.

The local administration has given the additional charge of price magistrate to all government officers. All government officers having additional charge of price magistrate after off time were bringing best quality fruit, meat, chicken and other food items while going home at night. It was the part of an underhand dealing with profiteers and hoarders, people alleged.

The Commissioner has informed that the ration bags included 10 kilogram of flour, 2 kilogram of sugar, 2 kilogrammes of basin, 2 kilogram ghee and 2 kilogram of rice. The citizens have advised Chief Minister Punjab to fix the price of a 20-kilogram 'Atta' bag at Rs1,500, sugar prices should be fixed at Rs100, 1-kilolgram ghee at Rs300, onion, potato, ginger, garlic and other vegetable prices should be reduced while chicken prices should not exceed to Rs400 per kilogram during Ramazan. The honest officers should monitor this mechanism. It will not only break the back of profiteers and hoarders but 100 per cent people will get benefit rather only 5 to 10 per cent people, people appealed.