LAHORE:Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz on Friday directed to present a plan of action within three days for providing kitchen items at affordable rates and made it clear that easing the economic burden was his top priority.
He chaired a meeting about price control which was attended by Provincial Minister Sardar Awais Leghari, MPAs Bilal Yasin and Zeeshan Rafiq, political assistants, chief secretary, and administrative secretaries while commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link.
Talking on the occasion, he said the government was cognizant of the common man’s difficulties due to inflation and field visits must be regularly conducted to stabilize the price and availability.
He said that deputy commissioners and price control magistrates should ensure the availability of essential items at fixed rates and the DCs should personally monitor the auction processes in the markets. Similarly, the verified data of field visits should be uploaded to the dashboard while ensuring synchronization in field visits and the relevant data details, he added and made it clear that the officers failing to conduct field visits would have to be answerable as he was personally monitoring every step taken for price control.
Rs.200 billion subsidy was given for subsidized flour and every penny should reach the common man, he said and asserted that no compromise would be made on the quality of subsidized flour. The exit points of Punjab province should be strictly monitored to control the smuggling of wheat and flour, the CM further said.