Chief Minister's Inspection Team has recommended deputation of Judicial Magistrate along with the Price Control Committees at district, tehsil and town levels to control the price hike and keep a check on shopkeepers. Punjab Chief Minister's Inspection Team Minister Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd) disclosed this while talking to newsmen here on Thursday.
He said that CMIT in its proposals submitted to Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has recommended that Price Control Committees should be made more effective and empowered so that these committees could check the prices of articles of daily use.
He said that after the appointment of Judicial Magistrate, the decision of cases of overcharging and undue profiteering would be taken speedily. These magistrates would also conduct raids at shops and markets and award sentences to such shopkeeper who were found involved in overcharging, he added.
According to him, the Agriculture Marketing is preparing legal documents to eliminate the role of middleman and 'arhti', which would be presented in Assembly. After the elimination of middleman's role, the growers could bring their produce in the market directly and earn proper return for their produce.
During this year, growers are selling their wheat to the government directly and positive results have been achieved. The minister further told them that the CMIT members had been directed to pay surprise visits and raids on shops in their respective areas and get cases registered against the shopkeepers who were found involved in fleecing the people.