LAHORE: The Punjab government is working to control the prices of basic food commodities as part of an effort to curb inflation during Ramazan, Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) on Price Control Salma Butt said on Tuesday.
“The establishment of Price Control & Commodities Management Department aims to regulate supply & demand standards”, SACM Salma Butt said while addressing a press conference at DGPR here in Lahore.
She emphasized the difference between genuine & artificial inflation & reiterated that profiteering will not be tolerated.
With Ramazan around the corner, relief efforts are underway to curtail the usual price hikes in necessary commodities such as vegetables, sugar, flour and dates. The move comes as people are rushing to register for the Ramazan Nigabhan Relief Package, an initiative announced by the Punjab government last month to help ease financial difficulties during the holy month.
The SACM said that the rates of basic vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes and onions would stay under Rs100 with tomatoes at Rs40-50 per kilogramme while onions and potatoes would be Rs80 and Rs55-60/kg, respectively.
She termed it a “major change” compared to the previous year, adding that the cost of dates was also expected to decrease from Rs525 to Rs485/kg.
Butt underscored the need to keep the cost of dates from reaching unreasonable levels, adding that lemons were expected to be priced at Rs110/kg as opposed to the price going as high as Rs400/kg in previous years.
She said the pumpkin price was to be set at Rs70-80/kg compared to Rs200-250 last year while the price of Cauliflower, peas, and eggplants was expected to stay under Rs100.
Lentils, including dal chana, dal maash and black gram, have seen a price decrease of almost Rs100 since October last year, she said, adding that masoor and moong’s cost only went up by a minimal margin. Butt said the price of flour was to be set at Rs1,680/10kg, a stark decrease from Rs2,710 previously. She added that baisan’s (gram flour) cost had also gone down by Rs75.
Addressing the sugar price hike, the Punjab official detailed that in coordination with sugar mills, the cost of sugar would be fixed at Rs130/kg, to alleviate financial strain on the people.
The SACM stated that sugar would be available at Rs130 per kg at 600 points to be established across the province. Highlighting the flour price, Salma Butt said that price of a 20-kg flour bag was Rs1,000 less than last year with additional relief of Rs50 to 100 would be provided at relief stalls.
She also added that most commodities could be found for marginally cheaper rates at Ramazan Sahulat bazaars, established all over Punjab.
“This is the first step we have taken and would like to move on to the next to make our efforts more sustainable,” she added.
“Strict monitoring of essential commodities prices, supply & demand is crucial. The mechanism for imported goods will be clarified soon & recommendations to boost local production are under review”, she concluded.
