Ramazan bazaars converted into Eid bazaars

LAHORE: All 309 Ramazan bazaars, set up by the government across the province, have now been converted into Eid bazaars by ensuring availability of items used on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr on subsidised rates, from 21st of Ramazanul Mubarak.

All Ramazan bazaar items would be made available on subsidised prices. Under the Ramazan Package-2019, a total of 309 Ramazan bazaars are operational across the province and around 2,000 Ramazan Dastar Khawans were also arranged.

Control rooms at provincial, divisional and district level are monitoring arrangements in Ramazan bazaars. All relevant departments are keeping strict vigilance on quality, quantity and prices of the essential items so that nobody could deprive the poor of this facility.

All the line departments had also been assigned duties and directed by the authorities concerned to perform in an efficient manner, while Utility Stores Corporation is cooperating with the Punjab government for provision of essential items to the masses during Ramazan.

According to a survey of various Ramazan bazaars, conducted in the City on Monday, potato was being sold for Rs12 per kilogram, onion for Rs23 per kg, sugar for Rs55 per kg, 10kg flour bag for Rs290, dates for Rs150 per kg, while discount of Rs15 and Rs10 were being given on per kilogram each of ghee and chicken meat, respectively.

Other items, including fruit, pulses, vegetables and cold drinks were also being sold at the subsidised rates in Ramazan bazaars and mobile units. On the directives of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, the provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants and secretaries also visited Ramazan bazaars.

Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar also visited Ramazan bazaars to monitor the arrangements. He also directed the line departments to take effective measures to stabilise the prices of essential items, adding that agriculture, industries and food departments would have to take a lead in this regard.

According to Provincial Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, price control committees at provincial and districts level had been constituted and 1,057 price control magistrate appointed to monitor Ramazan bazaars. He vowed that quality, availability and prices of essential items would not be compromised.

"In future, we are also planning to deliver ration bags at the doorsteps of such persons who cannot come to Ramazan bazaars for buying essential items," he said. The minister said the government had also developed a mobile phone application (app) for prices through which consumers could lodge a complaint and it would be addressed within two hours.