A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan to review the steps being taken to increase the number of fruit and vegetable markets in Punjab and reduce the price of flour.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Economic Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Advisor to Prime Minister Shehzad Akbar, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, Special Assistant Malik Amin Aslam, Senior Provincial Minister for Food Abdul Aleem Khan, Provincial Minister for Agriculture Sardar Hussain Jahanian Gardezi, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab. Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan and senior officers were present.
Preliminary progress and future course of action for implementation of decisions taken at the meeting to revise existing laws to increase the number of fruit and vegetable markets, facilitate private sector participation and procedures. A detailed briefing was given to the meeting on the availability of essential commodities at fixed rates to the people in the light of special instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Reforms were proposed for implementation of 80:20 ratio of plowing, reduction of administrative costs in procurement, delivery and storage of wheat.
Recommendations for amendments to the Punjab Agriculture Marketing Regulation Act to increase the number of fruit and vegetable markets, eliminate unnecessary administrative approvals for the establishment of markets to the private sector and further simplify the procedure and in existing markets. The Prime Minister was also apprised of the need to monitor unnecessary price fluctuations. The Prime Minister was also apprised of the new regime regarding the implementation of the action plan to increase fruit and vegetable markets. Recommendations to the Prime Minister to implement the 80:20 ratio of threshing in flour mills to increase flour production from wheat in order to reduce the price of flour, on the violations committed by flour mills in the last few months. A detailed briefing was also given on effective crackdown.
The Prime Minister directed the concerned Assistant Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to ensure stability in the prices of essential commodities and said that the first priority of the officers should be to monitor the fluctuations in prices and ensure elimination of unnecessary increase.
The administration should ensure that there is no undue difference between the market and the retail price of food items so as to ensure the supply of food items to the people at the lowest possible price. The first priority of the present government is the poor and oppressed people. To provide every possible ease in life.
The Prime Minister directed to ensure that a special plan be formulated to help the economically weaker sections so that the resources of the government could be used effectively as a subsidy for the public welfare. He further directed to focus on raising public awareness about healthy food and flour. The system of wheat delivery and flour price needs to be stabilized under a comprehensive strategy so that the people will not be disturbed in the future as well.
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