Lahore: Chief Secretary Punjab Abdullah Khan Sumbal has directed all the deputy commissioners to ensure the availability of commodities at fixed rates, saying that ranking for the districts would be done on the basis of their performance in the price control measures.
He gave this instruction while presiding over the video link meeting of
deputy commissioners to review the prices and availability of commodities,
at the Civil Secretariat.
The meeting decided to fully activate the District Consumer Protection
Councils (DCPC) in the districts and intensify the crackdown on wheat and
flour smuggling.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal said that the
availability of food items at fixed prices is the primary responsibility of
the administrative officers, adding that they must perform their duties
diligently to provide relief to people from price-hike. He directed the
Industries Department to persuade the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturing
Association (PVMA) to bring down the prices of ghee.
He asked the deputy commissioners to hold regular meetings of the District
Price Control Committees and continue monitoring of the auctions in the
markets to stabilize the prices of vegetables.
The Chief Secretary said that the Punjab government has issued orders to
begin the crushing season from November 25.
He directed that the sugar mills be bound to start the crushing season from
November 25 and as per law the action be taken against the sugar mills that
do not follow the orders. In the meeting, it was decided to issue notices to
17 sugar mills that have not started boilers so far.
The Secretary Industries told the meeting that there are ample stocks of
flour and sugar in the province and a 20 kg bag of flour is available
everywhere at a discounted price of Rs 1295. The Secretary Food, Special
Secretary Agriculture, Cane Commissioner Punjab and officers concerned
attended the meeting while all deputy commissioners participated through
video link.
