PESHAWAR: KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed all district administrations and other relevant authorities to take necessary steps to ensure display the rate of lists of essential commodities at each and every retailer shop in the province further directing the quarters concerned to improve the price inspection and monitoring mechanism so that implementation of government fixed prices could be ensured.
He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting regarding price control at Chief Minister House Peshawar on Monday. Special Assistant to CM Khaleeq Ur Rehman, Chief Secretary Dr. Kazim Niaz, Principal Secretary to CM Shahab Ali Shah, Administrative secretaries of concerned departments and others attended the meeting.
The Chief Minister has expressed his satisfaction over the declining trend in the rates of essential food items as compared to the last month and lauded the role of Food department and administration as well. He expressed the hope that prices of essential commodities will further decrease in the coming days. He said that the provincial government, despite its limited financial resources was spending huge amount as subsidy on imported wheat to give maximum relief to public adding that Rs. 3.7 billion subsidies has been given so far on imported wheat whereas Rs.6.3 billion more would be given during the current financial year.
The meeting was briefed about the weekly average price and decrease in prices of essential commodities ranging from wheat flour, sugar, rice, pulses and to vegetable and was told that according to the latest SPI report, prices of flour, sugar, rice, pulses and other essential food items are low in the province as compare to average price of these items at national level; Rs. 21 Per Kg decrease was reported in the price of sugar in last three weeks. Similarly, Rs. 264 per bag drop in wheat flour in last eight weeks and Rs. 57 per Kg decrease in price of Tomatoes were reported in last six weeks.
While briefing the meeting about present situation of wheat flour and sugar stock, it was told that wheat crisis had been overcome owing to timely and effective measures of the provincial government adding that such issue would not emerge again during the current season.
Furthermore, it was informed that, substantial reduction had been witnessed in public complaints against price hike on Pakistan Citizens Portal, adding that during the last month 374 complaints were registered as compare to 437 complaints registered in October. Out of the registered, 80 percent of complaints had been addressed do far.
The forum was appraised that, a strategy was being devised to ensure the availability of required quantity of wheat and wheat flour in the upcoming season.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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