Subsidised commodities: 220,373 flour bags sold in Ramazan Bazaars

A Ramazan Bazaar monitoring report was issued on Wednesday

LAHORE: More than 12 million kilogrammes of rice, flour, sugar and other commodities have been sold so far in the 318 Ramazan Bazaars established across the Punjab.

According to the Ramazan Bazaars’ monitoring report, 183,470 wheat flour bags were sold at subsidised rates on Tuesday. Similarly, 220,373 20kg wheat flour bags were sold at Rs620 per bag. A total of 832,899 kgs of sugar and 118,904 kgs of chicken were sold on Tuesday. A total of 179,225 people, including 165,000 men and 14,225 women, were provided free food at 1,985 Madni Dastarkhawans established across the Punjab.

Price control magistrates in Lahore fined 74 shopkeepers and vendors for overcharging customers and collected Rs104,000. A total of 94 cases were registered against shopkeepers and 153 were arrested.

In Gujranwala, price control magistrates imposed Rs248,000 fines. In Mianwali, price control magistrates imposed Rs10,700 fines. According to the report, 1,756 price control magistrates carried out inspections in 2,000 markets of the Punjab. They fined 1,847 shopkeepers and registered FIRs against 176. They were fined Rs2.1 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2016.