Pb govt taking steps to control price hike: Aslam Iqbal

LAHORE, Nov 21 (APP):Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Mian Aslam Iqbal on Thursday said the government was taking comprehensive measures to control inflation and price hike.

He said that today tomato price in the market was fixed at Rs 200, adding that the Punjab government would introduce “Rashan Card” to facilitate the people.

He was speaking at Punjab Assembly’s session started with Speaker Pervaiz Elahi in the chair here.

The minister said that such cards would be provided to the poor without any discrimination and the data of deserving people would be collected through electricity and gas bills.

Mian Aslam Iqbal said that under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the chinese language programme was being introduced so that the youth could learn Chinese language, adding that Rs 1.5 billion had been allocated in this regard.

He said that the prices of daily commodities were determined as per demand and supply ratio, whereas rains, pesticides and climate changes also contributed to price factors.

He said that the import of tomatoes from Iran had been started after which the prices of tomatoes remained between Rs 200 to 300, adding that the Punjab government had ensured sufficient storage of wheat so that the shortage of wheat could be avoided, asserting that the price of a wheat bag was fixed at Rs 808 per 40 kg in Punjab.

Aslam Iqbal said that the per kg price of oil was between Rs 140 to 180, adding that directions had been issued to the oil companies to maintain quality of final product as per the prices. Soon the prices of sugar would be reduced as the government was in talks with representatives of sugar mills association, he maintained.

He said that Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar was himself supervising price control committee to provide relief to the common man. It was also decided to set up price control authority consisted of economists, bureaucrates, and other experts, he asserted.

Addressing at the floor of the house, Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat said that the previous PML-N government had presented 106 ordinances during its tenure but the present Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf government had only issued 18 ordinances in 15 months.