Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance has proposed Ministry of Finance a road map for food security, focusing on the modes of availability, accessibility, affordability and distribution and for having effective control on prices of essential items consumed by general public.
It is learnt here on Wednesday that a Private Member's Bill titled the Control of Prices of Essential Commodities and Price-hike Bill, 2010 introduced by Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed was discussed in the sitting of the Senate held on January 31, 2011. The subject Bill was discussed in the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Planning and Development on October, 2011, where a sub-committee was formed to consider the "Control of Price of essential Commodities and Price hike".
Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance was formed on the issue under chairmanship of the Senator Ishaq Dar which has proposed a road map with recommendations focusing on the policy and procedural parameters, sources said.
The policy measures proposed by the sub-committee said that after the devolution, the Ministry of National Food Security has been established with the following functions, ie economic co-ordination and planning in respect of food, economic planning and policy making with respect to agriculture. Imports and exports control on food grains and foodstuffs, inspection, grading analysis of food grains and foodstuffs, maintenance of standards of quality for import and export and inspection, handling, storage and shipment of rice exports. Policy measures included collection of statistics regarding production, consumption prices, import and exports of food grains and co-ordination with aid agencies in food sector.
Policy measures included procurement of food grains, including sugar; from abroad; for federal requirement; for inter-provincial supplies; and for export and storage at ports. With regard to food security it is proposed that a committee should be constituted with provincial representation for analysis and making tangible recommendation for food security focusing on the mode of availability, accessibility, affordability and distribution under National Food Security and Research Division. The committee will prepare short-term, medium-tern and long-term plans and arrangements to finance the programmes, report said.
Other policy measures included adopting a holistic and multifaceted approach to food security and food supply to cover the entire chain of food, ie from plough to plate such as monitoring of food security index. Fiscal and Monetary policies measures should be more focused on support and encourage agro-based industries and farmer community. The policy instruments should have minimum lag effects.
Exports and imports of commodities/major and minor crops to be made considering the domestic need and assessment of demand supply position of each commodity. Market integration and information system will be strengthened, so that shortage and surplus of commodities may not take place in any area. The role of middleman should be closely monitored to minimise exploitation of farmers and to eliminate the hoarding practices, it suggested.
Introducing new technology and farming area to increase per acre yield with especially importing technologies and skills from other countries, so that benefits from world's best practices may be obtained. Other measures included establishment of food processing plants and storages with public private partnership. Board of Investment may be assigned target to increased private investment in this particular sector, report said.
The report further said that Ministry of Interior has prepared a draft Law for revival of Executive Magistracy on which all the three provinces has given their consensus and the Draft is under consideration in Law Division for vetting. Necessary procedure may be completed on fast track in the public interest. Monitoring and enforcement framework for price and supply of essential commodities should be strengthened on priority. The district price control committee may be established/strengthened by taking on board representative of government, consumers and producers. District government should take necessary actions on the recommendations of the committee to control price hike. Outreach to Tehsil level, improved quality and frequency up to twice a week of Itwar/Juma Bazars to be ensured by all provinces. It will, however, be adopted depending on local realities/situation. Vigilant consumer association at Mohallah and village level be established with a system of cross-checking by the district administration through physical presence at the auction.
It suggested that the Consumer Protection Laws need to be made functional. Proper training and capacity building and equipping with logistic support to the officers be ensured for price checking and control. Proper effective and monitoring system should be in place and cross checking whether the offenders were provided punishment or released due to some pressure groups. The District Admn reports should also be cross checked/verified at high level and accordingly rewarded/punished. Toll free complaint numbers and calls should be in place. There should be a well governed and published system to facilitate the people to approach the consumer courts.