Sans supplies, Ramazan bazaars pop up

Govt departments fail to set up shop due to delay in releasing funds

LAHORE: Ramazan bazaars across the provincial capital were not fully operational on Tuesday as the government departments concerned failed to set up shop due to a delay in releasing of funds approved for the Ramazan Package 2018.

An official from the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) told The Express Tribune that the bazaars have been established in all areas, while private companies and vendors have already started selling their produce at subsidised rates.

On the other hand, government departments, such as the agriculture department, the livestock and dairy development department and market committees, failed to make their stalls functional at these bazaars, he informed

Initially, it was planned that the government will establish a total of 31 markets in the provincial capital, out of which 18 will be set up in marquees, three in canopies and 10 in existing model bazaars.



In addition to this, the government had planned to set up 2,000 madni dasterkhawns across Punjab in collaboration with several philanthropists to feed the needy. The government had also tasked 1,756 price control magistrates with the duty to regulate the prices of essential commodities across Punjab.

City administration officials highlighted that flour, meat, sugar, fruit and vegetables are being provided at subsidised rates at these makeshift markets. Mayors, deputy mayors, zonal staff and the district administration have been tasked with overseeing operations at these bazaars.

Similarly, the federal government also decided to sell 19 edible essential commodities at subsidised rates through its network of utility stores. After revising prices, the federal government has decided to reduce wheat flour by Rs4 per kilogramme. After the reduction, a 20 kilogramme bag of flour will be available for Rs660 across at utility stores.

The rate of sugar has also been reduced by Rs5 per kilogramme to Rs49. The price of cooking oil and banaspati ghee available at utility stores has also been reduced by Rs10 and Rs15 respectively

Earlier, the government announced that 306 bazaars will be established across Punjab by May 14. The makeshift markets would become functional on May 15 after all the arrangements were completed, to provide relief to citizens.

However, due to a delay in releasing funds, markets in majority of the locations were not fully functional by the deadline.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2018.