The Sindh Cabinet has approved the constitution of peace and price control committees at district level to keep a vigilant eye on prices and supply of goods and maintain law and order in the province.
The cabinet meeting, which was attended by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) ministers for the first time, also approved a proposal for revival of the Bureau of Supply and Prices Department. This was stated by Sindh Minister for Information Shazia Marri during a press briefing at New Sindh Secretariat after the meeting here on Friday.
She said the two committees would be headed by a provincial minister or an MPA from the district concerned and would submit their reports time to time to the Home Department, which would also act as a monitor.
She further said that Price Control Committee (PCC) would consist of district co-ordination officer (DCO), executive district officer (EDOs), deputy district officer (DDO), "Mukhtarkar" and his assistants and notables of the district. While Peace Committee (PC), which would be tasked to ensure peace in urban and rural districts, where crime rate was getting high, would comprise DPO, and notables of the district with the DCO as its secretary, she added.
Marri said the PCC would ensure strict implementation of laws relating to consumer rights by keeping check on prices of the essential commodities and uninterrupted supply of goods in the districts. "Uniformity and control of prices in all districts of the province would be ensured," she maintained.
The government, she said, had decided to include well-reputed persons from the communities to check corruption and bring the "ground realities" and problems of the masses on the surface.
She said that the Home Department had issued strict directives against using vehicles with tinted glasses. She claimed that the government had got tinted glasses removed from the vehicle of an MPA. Stern action would be taken against violators regardless of their politico-social status from June 7 (today).
On water shortage, the minister said that the provincial government was approaching the federal government for seeking a permanent solution to the problem.
A proposal to increase the development funds of Rs 5 million for each MPA also came under consideration during the meeting, she said. About the forthcoming federal budget, Marri said social sector development like health, education and employment would be prioritised in the next budget.
She said the Sindh government would launch an internship program, conceived by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) slain leader Benazir Bhutto, soon after the budget. Funds for development works in budget 2008-09 would be increased more than those allocated by the previous government, Marri quoted Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah as saying.