LAHORE: In order to prevent hoarding of fertilizers and monitor their supply, the Punjab government has decided to immediately activate an online portal and issued instructions to all relevant departments and divisional commissioners in this regard.
The directions were issued during a meeting jointly chaired by Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal and Federal Secretary Industries Jawwad Rafique Malik at the Civil Secretariat here on Saturday. It was also decided to take action against the government officials who are playing the role of middlemen in fertilizers’ business.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chief Secretary said that through the portal, the officials would be able to fully monitor the supplies to dealers from the fertilizer companies and obtain information about the stocks available in each district. He directed the Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) to immediately give all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners access to the portal.
The Chief Secretary asked the field officers to ensure a prominent display of banners showing prices of fertilizers and contact numbers for registering complaints against overcharging. He also issued instructions regarding sealing shops of the profiteers and keeping a check on the movement of fertilizers in the bordering districts.
The Federal Secretary Industries said that all the commissioners and deputy commissioners should come out in the field to ensure the availability of fertilizers at the rate fixed by the government. He said that the sale of urea at a price higher than Rs 1768 per bag could not be allowed in any case.
The meeting was briefed that according to the report of the Special Branch, the crackdown on hoarders has helped bring down the prices of fertilizers in the province. The Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman PITB, Additional Secretary Industries Division and officers concerned attended the meeting while all the divisional commissioners participated through video link.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021