20-kg flour bag price fixed at Rs808, sugar at Rs70 per kg

LAHORE:The Punjab government has decided to fix the price of 20-kg flour bag at Rs808 and price of sugar at Rs70 per kg.

In this regard a meeting of Taskforce for Price Control was held at Civil Secretariat here Wednesday, which was presided over by Minister for Industries & Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal. Aslam Iqbal directed that ghee manufacturers should also be contacted with regard to lowering prices of ghee and oil. He expressed his indignation for not selling essential commodities at fixed prices and said that selling of necessary edibles exceeding fixed prices is a big question mark on the performance of concerned departments. He maintained that those not implementing decisions of taskforce should go somewhere else and only those officers will serve in Punjab who will ensure provision of relief to the masses on priority basis. He said Deputy Commissioner will himself be responsible for not ensuring selling of daily usage edibles on fixed rates in his district. In the light of reports of Special Branch and other departments, strict action will be taken against those found responsible for doing negligence in performing their duties, he added. He also directed for displaying fixed prices on flour bags and ghee packets. Fixed prices of essential edibles should be displayed at prominent places of shops.

crackdown: Provincial Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal has directed to continue crackdown on hoarders and illegal profiteers with the cooperation of people. Complaints regarding hoarding and price hike should be redressed immediately and no negligence will be tolerated in this regard.

Presiding over a meeting at Civil Secretariat Wednesday to review implementation of price control mechanism and steps taken for the provision of relief to the poor regarding essential items, he said that it was the responsibility of the department concerned to ensure availability of essential items at fixed prices, administration, price control magistrates and officers concerned should continue monitoring of the prices and special monitoring should be conducted in bazaars.

The Commissioner Lahore Division, Additional Secretary Industries, Deputy Commissioner and other officers attended the meeting.

Aslam Iqbal said that hoarders and profiteers should not be allowed to exploit the masses. He said that people should benefit the fruits of steps taken to control price hike. The minister said that steps should be taken to encourage farmers to bring their crops in model bazaars to facilitate the people.