KP govt to set up ‘Sasta Insaf Bazaars’

PESHAWAR: To ensure affordable supply of food items to the people, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Tuesday approved the establishment of 16 “Sasta Insaf Bazaars” across the province, which would remain open seven days a week.

Briefing the media on the cabinet decisions, Special Assistant for Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash said Chief Minister Mahmood Khan chaired the meeting.

He quoted the chief minister as saying the provision of daily commodities of life to the people at cheap and inexpensive rates was the priority of the government.

The special assistant said in the first phase, four ‘sasta bazaars’ would be established at provincial capital and two each at the divisional level. These would be gradually extended to all districts, he added.

The daily necessities including flour, sugar, ghee, rice, pulses, chicken and vegetables will be available at cheaper rates from the general market.

Kamran Bangash said the government would provide free shops. “It will initially cost approximately Rs100 million ,” he said, adding, the government would ensure that water, washrooms, security, sanitation, etc. are properly arranged in these markets.

The special assistant said these markets were being set up immediately and would be run by management committees to be formed to ensure a better management of these markets and availability of essential commodities at all times. He said the chief minister directed the Planning and Development Department to formulate workable proposals for the execution of Chashma Right Bank Lift Canal for getting self-sufficiency in food and other agro-based commodities.

The chief minister also directed the members of the cabinet to visit the bazaars and markets regularly to ensure availability of food items at fixed official rates.

He said that Mahmood Khan also ordered the supply of flour at subsidised rates up to the level of the village council.

However, he made it clear that ordinary shopkeepers should not be harassed by a spate of visits by different departments but the administration should form joint teams for the purpose.

Earlier, the cabinet was briefed about the price control system in the province and the prices of various food items, including the situation of wheat and sugar in the province.

It was told that the prices of essential commodities other than tomatoes and chicken have remained stable throughout the province during the last few weeks.

It was added that raids were being carried out in the province after the reports of Intelligence Bureau and Special Branch against the artificial price-hike, hoarding and stockpiling.

The cabinet also approved to increase the quantity of wheat issued to local flour mills at discounted rates from 3,000 metric tons per day to 4,000 metric tons.

The cabinet was informed that arrangements have been made in the province and online supply of essential commodities has been started in the three merged districts.

The meeting was told that the number of farmers markets established in the province has been increased from 65 to 80.

The cabinet agreed to establish primary healthcare management committees and healthcare management committees to give enhanced financial autonomy to the basic health units, rural health centres and other devolved services in the health sector.

committees would be headed and participated by senior doctors, representatives of the district administration, secretary of the concerned village council and TMAs along with the members from the community.

Initially, 882 primary healthcare management committees and 108 health care management committees will be established that would settle the daily and routine matter at the local level and would ensure the availability of medicine and would undertake necessary repairs.

These committees would enjoy financial autonomy to undertake all work.

The cabinet approved the names of the board of governors for the unofficial members of the Health Foundation and dissolved the board of governors of MTI Bannu. It amended certain sections of the MTI Appellate Tribunal Rules 2020. The cabinet also gave approval to signing of MoU between Nadara and Health Department for the extension of Sehat Insaf Cards to hundred percent of the population. The cabinet also approved the minimum sugarcane rate Rs.200 maund and beat Rs180 maund, respectively, for the year 2020-21. It approved the crushing season to start from November 15.