Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that his government has announced the Ramazan package of billions of rupees to provide relief to people and flour and other edible items will be provided to the masses at cheaper rates under this package.
"The Punjab government will give subsidy of Rs 3.5 billion on provision of quality flour under Ramazan Package and flour bags of 10 kg each will be available at Rs 310 while at Rs 330 in open market and flour bags of 20 kg each will be sold in open market at Rs 660," he said in a speech on Monday in a meeting through the video link at the Civil Secretariat.
Shahbaz Sharif claimed that "Up to 316 Ramazan Bazaars will be set up in the province under Ramazan Package whereas 17 model bazaars will also be converted into Ramazan Bazaars. Like the past, the Punjab government of PML-N is also spending billions of rupees this year on the special package for providing relief to the masses during Ramazan.
He also directed that easy availability of quality food items should be ensured in Ramazan Bazaars and there should not be any complaint of shortage and that no compromise would be made on the quality of edible items and his that government machinery should spare no effort for the smooth supply of quality daily use items to the citizens at concessionary rate while action should be taken against the elements involved in short-measuring.
"The Agriculture Department will set up 333 fair price shops in the bazaars where cheap fruit and vegetables will be available and that an effective system has been evolved for digital monitoring of the bazaars whereas third-party audit of monitoring of the bazaars will also be conducted.
The Cabinet Committee was also told to hold meetings on daily basis in Ramazan to review the steps taken whereas district co-ordination officers of all districts should personally supervise auction in agri markets and submit a report on daily basis and said provincial ministers and secretaries would visit the bazaars to monitor the steps taken for providing relief to the citizens.
Provincial Ministers including Dr Farrukh Javed, Bilal Yasin, Chaudhry Muhammad Shafiq, Special Assistant Arshad Jutt, Members of the Provincial Assembly Taufeeq Butt, Waheed Gull, former Member of the Provincial Assembly Haji Muhammad Nawaz, the chief secretary, the police inspector general, secretaries of concerned departments and senior officers were also present.