The provincial government plans to procure 45,000 metric tons of sugar to ensure that the commodity is available to the people at the fixed price during Ramazan.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the officials concerned to hold negotiations with the Sugar Mills Association and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan in this regard. He said 30,000 metric tons of sugar would be purchased from sugar mills and 15,000 from the TCP. He was speaking at a meeting to review arrangements for provision of essential items during Ramazan at subsidised rates.
He said essential items including wheat and gram flour, sugar, ghee, dates, vegetables and fruits would be made available under a special-ramazan package. He said Ramazan Bazaars would be set up throughout the province to supply essential commodities at subsidised rates.
Sharif said negligence would not be tolerated in provision of wheat flour at subsidised rates, both in open market and at Ramazan Bazaars. He said no compromise would be made on the quality of wheat flour. “Only the best flour mills in the province would be selected for purchase of wheat flour,” he said. He directed the food minister and the food secretary to personally supervise the procurement process.
The chief minister said 1,176 price control magistrates would be responsible for ensuring stability of prices and uninterrupted supply of essential commodities during the holy month. He said district and provincial administrations would work together to implement the Ramazan-package.
He said free-of-charge Iftari would be available at Ramazan Dastarkhwans set up for the deserving. These dastakhwans, he said, would be arranged near katchi abadi, industrial areas and residential colonies for labourers and at bus stops and public hospitals.
He directed that a comprehensive monitoring system be put in place to ensure availability of essential commodities at Ramazan Bazaars.
The Chief Secretary, Secretary for the Industries and Food Departments gave detailed briefings about the measures they had planned for the Ramazan Package.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2011.
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