Monitoring of 18 essential items must continue: Minister

LAHORE, Oct 24 (APP):Punjab Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal on Thursday said that monitoring of prices of 18 essential items including flour, ghee and pulses should be done in all districts of the province.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, the minister said the line departments should keep a vigilant eye on availability, quality and prices of essential items as it’s their responsibility to ensure their sale on fixed rates.

Price-control magistrates should also remain active in the field and discharge their duties diligently.

He said that a vigorous crackdown should be continued in the province against illegal profiteers and hoarders. “Instructions issued in line with the decisions made by the task force on price-control should be ensured in toto,” he added.

He made it clear that any inordinate delay in redress of complaints received through the toll-free numbers was not tolerable and action would be initiated against the persons showing negligence in addressing complaints received in connection with the prices of daily-use items.

Mian Aslam Iqbal directed the line departments to take immediate action against elements involved in price-hike, variation in measurement and sale of substandard items.

He said the officers associated with the mechanism of price-control should remain available in the field to provide relief to masses. “It is time to serve masses, instead of sitting in offices as the government has taken concrete steps to provide quality items on subsidised rates,” he added.

He said that model bazaars were being set up throughout the province to provide substantial relief to the public and it has also been decided to introduce a new system of fair-price shops in the province, concluded the minister.