Punjab looks towards Centre for sugar price fixation

LAHORE: The Punjab government Friday reiterated its decision of forceful implementation of the sugar price whatever would be fixed by the federal government.

The reinforcement of the decision was made in a meeting of the task force for price control headed by Punjab Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal. Secretary and DG industries, commissioners and deputy commissioners attended the meeting.

Interestingly, one week ago, the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) held the provinces responsible for fixing sugar price. The federal secretary finance who had chaired the NPMC meeting instructed the provincial governments to provide support to market committees in collaboration with district administration to play proactive role by removing the price disparity among the provinces and also ensure the smooth supply of essential items.

However, after one week, the Punjab is standing on the same old stance that fixing the sugar price was responsibility of the federal government while the provincial government will implement it in letter and spirit.

Mian Aslam Iqbal on Friday chairing the meeting of Task Force for Price Control reviewed the performance of the price magistrates and ongoing campaign against overcharging and hoarding. He took notice of sale of potato at Rs150 per kilogram in Bahawalpur and instructed that the shops should display price list at a visible place and shops should be sealed which ignored the order, he instructed.

The minister also took notice of the sale of fruits and vegetables higher than the official rates in different parts of the province, including Lahore where massive overcharging continued across the city.

The minister ordered the administration to take stern action against the violators. Aslam Iqbal reiterated that the government would not let mafia extract money from the consumers. He instructed improving price monitoring system and asked the administration to protect consumers’ rights. He said ample flour was available in Punjab at official rate while the price of sugar fixed by the federal government would be ensured by the provincial government. He took the district administration of Bahawalpur to task for sale of potato at Rs150 per kg and asked them to wake up from slumber. He asked the administration to play its role in enforcing official price of edibles to safeguard the public interests.