Imran directs ministries to bring down food prices
PM URGES RELEASE OF STOCKPILES TO ENSURE AVAILABILITY AT CHEAP RATES
Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the federal ministries and provincial governments to bring down prices of wheat, sugar, cooking oil, fruits and vegetables to provide relief to public.
This was stated by Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting.
She said the prime minister held a three-hour long meeting on Friday with chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, chief secretaries, ministries of food, agriculture, statistics, commerce and industry and cane commissioners and asked them to adopt a comprehensive strategy on ways to reduce prices of essential commodities.
The prime minister directed that people should be shielded from hikes in prices and availability of food items should be ensured, she told reporters.
Firdous said the price of wheat had increased in the Sindh province after its government
■ had failed to procure the commodity and its stocks had depleted.
The prime minister took notice of the situation and issued instructions that Pakistan Agricultural Services and Storage Corporation (Passco) should release 0.1 million tonnes of wheat for the Sindh province to reduce prices and help the people oppressed by their rulers, she explained.
The special assistant said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) was instructed to come up with a comprehensive strategy and recommendations in three days on release of stock of wheat and cut in prices, adding
Dismay
The PM expressed dismay at increase of prices of sugar and asked the provinces along with ministry of industry to keep the prices stable and take action against profiteers and hoarders.
The chief ministers were asked to establish farmer markets to end the role of middlemen so that farmers could benefit and consumers could get relief in prices of vegetables, fruits and perishable items.
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