LAHORE: Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has directed to set up special sale points in eight major cities besides “Sahulat Bazaars” to ensure ample supply of “sasta atta” to the common man. He said that no tax has been levied on flour mills so far then there is no justification for the increase in flour prices.
He observed this while presiding over a video link meeting with Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners across the province here on Saturday. This high-level meeting was held to review the supply of food items and prices in the “Sahulat Bazars”. Minister Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal, Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik also attended this meeting while the Secretaries of Food, Industry and Agriculture Departments gave a detailed briefing on 313 “Sahulat Bazars” markets in the province.
Abdul Aleem Khan said that the Punjab Government is giving a subsidy of 2 billion rupees per month to ensure the supply of “sasta atta” flour which should deliver to the common man. He added that a 20 kg bag of flour was sell at Rs.860 and the same price should be ensured in these “Sahulat Bazars”.
He also approved the design of “sasta atta” bags in the meeting. He directed that the relief given to the people in the “Sahulat Bazars” should also be properly advertised so that the common man could know more about these bazaars.
Senior Minister directed that flour mills should be required to clearly write the ex-mill and retail price on flour bags so as not to charge more from the citizens. Senior Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan further said that the Prime Minister Imran Khan has a personal interest in providing low cost food items to every citizen for which the administration in every district should ensure strict monitoring.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary Punjab inquired from the Deputy Commissioners of Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur about the “Sahulat Bazars”. He directed all the Deputy Commissioners to go to the market themselves and take stock of the situation on the spot.
It was decided in the meeting that special sale points will be set up in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha and Bahawalpur for the sale of “sasta atta”. The meeting was told that due to decrease in the prices of market people’s rush has reduced in “Sahulat Bazars” competitively. INP
