A vigorous campaign against hoarders and profiteers has been launched in all small and big towns aimed at providing articles of daily use to the consumers on reduced rates in Ramazan and Itwar bazaars in Punjab, Provincial Industries and Investment Minister Muhammad Ajmal Cheema said on Sunday.
Talking to reporters here after inspecting the Ramazan bazaar, he said that security has been tightened in and around Ramazan and Itwar bazaars for protecting the life and property of the masses.
Ajmal Cheema said that government would not tolerate the tendency of overcharging and hoarding and persons involved in this malpractice would be dealt with iron hand.
The government was mobilising all resources for stabilising the prices of articles of daily use in the market as well as in Ramazan and Itwar bazaars to facilitate the consumers, he said.
The Provincial Industries Minister said that the prices and quality of different commodities were being monitored by different agencies for ensuring the provision articles of daily use in Ramazan and Itwar bazaars in the Punjab.
The step has been taken for providing articles of daily use to the consumers on reduced prices in Ramazan and Itwar bazaars in the Punjab, he added.
Ajmal Cheema said that government was providing subsidy amounting to Rs 80 million to the flourmill owners for ensuring the provision of Sasta Atta during Ramazan on reduced rates.
The Industries Minister on this occasion directed the district administration to take appropriate steps for checking the quality of meat, mutton and chicken in Ramazan and Itwar bazaars on top priority basis.
On this occasion District Co-ordination Officer Sialkot Syed Tahir Raza Naqvi informed the minister under Ramazan package six sale points" have been set up for sale of Atta in Sialkot, adding that consumers could purchase Atta bag of 20 KG on Rs 190. So far 4,4713 Atta bags have been sale on subsidised price while average sale of Atta bags was 3,500 daily in Sialkot, he added.
The District Co-ordination Officer further informed that under the special directives of the Punjab Government more than 300 raids were conducted against profiteers and hoarders and fine amounting Rs 100, 000 had been recovered.
Provincial Secretary for Social Welfare Department Saeed Ahmad Khan along with District Co-ordination Officer Syed Tahir Raza Naqvi separately inspected the Ramazan and Itwar bazaars.