223 Sahulat bazaars become operational across Punjab

CS ensures availability of essential commodities at discounted rates

LAHORE:

At least 223 Sahulat Bazaars across the province have been made functional by the Punjab government to ensure the availability of essential commodities including flour and sugar at subsidised rates.

This was explained at a briefing during the daily review meeting on price control chaired by the Punjab Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik.

The additional chief secretary, administrative secretaries of the food and industries department, Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) chairman, and Lahore commissioner attended the meeting whereas all other divisional commissioners, RPOs, deputy commissioners, and DPOs participated through video conferencing.

The meeting reviewed steps to control prices and availability of eatables, particularly flour and sugar.

The chief secretary told the participants that the establishment of Sahulat bazaars was aimed at providing relief to the common man as well as to normalise prices in the open market.

He informed in the meeting that 396 Sahulat Bazaars would be set up throughout the province under the directions of the Punjab chief minister.

The chief secretary directed the deputy commissioners to personally supervise the auction process at fruits and vegetable markets, besides keeping an eye on the entire supply chain to curb hoarding.

Asking the officers to deal hoarders with an iron hand, he said, “Those fleecing consumers deserve no leniency.”

“For the permanent solution to the problem of price-hike, a complete system of supply chain management would have to be devised,” he said.

“For this, the agriculture and related departments would have to work year-round and increase the production,” he added.

The prime minister has also issued clear directions in this regard, he said. The chief secretary directed that monitoring and reporting in the process of price control should be further improved and special attention must be paid to increase the number of inspections.

He also sought a detailed report from the food secretary on the monitoring of flour mills.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2020.