The Punjab government has decided to set up a committee that will prepare recommendations on a mechanism for determining prices of commodities on a quarterly basis.
Punjab Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal disclosed this while addressing a meeting held here on Friday to review the mechanism of pricing of edibles and steps being taken to eradicate locusts in the province.
Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Noman Ahmad Langrial, Punjab Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik, Senior Member Board of Revenue Babar Hayat Tarar, administrative secretaries of various departments and officers concerned attended the meeting whereas divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link.
The meeting reviewed the strategy for fixing prices of daily-use commodities, especially 10 essential food items, and deliberated on a proposal to fix prices of ghee, sugar flour, pulses, fruits, vegetables, chicken, mutton, and beef etc quarterly.
While addressing the meeting, the Industries Minister said that the provision of daily-use commodities to people at the prices fixed by the government is the prime responsibility of administrative officers and any negligence in this regard will not be tolerated at all.
The Chief Secretary asked the officers to keep a strict check on the prices of eatables even after Ramadan. "Price lists should be displayed prominently and shops of violators should be sealed," he directed.
Later, the meeting reviewed the latest situation of locusts in the province and expressed satisfaction over the steps being taken for the eradication of the pest.
The meeting was informed that timely measures helped protect crops on a vast area from swarms of locusts. It was decided that the vehicles of different departments that are not in use due to the Coronavirus restrictions would be utilized in the ongoing locust combat operation and help will also be sought from lambardars, patwaris, imams and local communities to bring locusts under control.
Senior Member Board of Revenue Babar Hayat Tarar briefed the meeting that Locust Combat Operation is underway in the affected areas of the province and so far about 147,000 hectares have been sprayed and surveillance of 75,463 hectares in the affected districts have been completed. He further said that a sufficient quantity of pesticides is available in stocks and it is being provided as per requirement.
He averred that 64 vehicle-mounted sprayers, 868 power, and 317 manual spray machines are being used for spraying pesticides while 244 surveys, 965 other vehicles and necessary machinery are also in use.
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