Ramazan bazaars: PITB’s control centres monitor goods

Chairman says teams keep an eye on prices and availability of commodities through technology

LAHORE: The Punjab Information Technology Board’s (PITB) command and control centre (CCC) is monitoring prices, quality, and availability of essential commodities being sold at 309 Ramazan bazaars across the province.

Fruits, vegetable, pulses, sugar, flour and vegetable oil were major items being provided to the public at these bazaars at discounted rates. This was stated during a meeting chaired by PITB Chairman Dr Umar Saif on Monday.

The meeting was told that sugar is being sold at the rate of Rs46 per kilogrammes in green bags with the government logo and is Rs8 less than the market. Similarly, flour (Atta) in green bags, with the government logo, is being provided at Rs500 per kilogrammes as compared to Rs720 in the market. The Vegetable Ghee Mills Association has given a subsidy on different brands of vegetable oil.

Dr Saif said that PITB teams monitor the prices and availability of the essential commodities through the use of technology at these bazaars.

The Ramazan bazaars are being operated across Punjab since 2013. Operations of these Ramazan bazaars, enforcement by price control magistrates and availability of 28 essential commodities in markets have facilitated the common man. The prices are fixed on a daily basis, keeping in view the open market rates.

PFA urges major food players to grace bazaars

Punjab Food Authority Director General Noorul Amin Mengal asked food industry representatives to put up stalls in Ramazan Bazaars across the provincial capital. He underlined that the companies should directly set up stalls in Ramazan Bazaars instead of going through distributors. Stalls of all the necessary food items will be put up along with milk, spices, meat, ghee and cooking oil, he added.

Representatives of various food industries’ associations called on the DG at PFA headquarters on Monday. Provincial Minister of Planning and Development and Ramadan Bazaars Chairman, Malik Nadeem Kamran, was also present in the meeting.

Mengal indicated that stalls accommodated directly by the companies will help maintain quality and low cost of the food items. He also added that the food items will be sold at least 20 percent less than the original price. Moreover, sale of these food items will be limited and only available to the general public so that hoarders cannot get their hands on them, he maintained.

Speaking on the occasion, Kamran praised the provincial food authority’s plan. He added that under the supervision of PFA DG, food safety teams are already diligent. He iterated that the direct involvement of companies in the food stalls of their products will help lower the prices in Ramazan Bazars. He assured food industry representatives of complete cooperation from the district and Ramadan Bazar management.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2018.