KARACHI: Cabinet reviews measures to check price-hike
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 22: The Sindh government has made special arrangements to bring down prices of essential commodities and maintain law and order during the month of Ramazan.
The Sindh cabinet, which met here on Wednesday at the Sindh Secretariat with Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar in the chair, was informed of the measures being taken in this regard.
After the meeting, Salahuddin Haider, Adviser to the CM on Information, briefed newsmen about the decisions taken by the cabinet. Provincial Information Secretary Mahtab Akbar Rashdi, who was present on the occasion, elaborated some of the decisions.
According to Mr Haider, Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakkil Qazi told the cabinet that wheat flour price had been fixed at Rs10.50 per kg for sale at retail outlets and Rs10 per kg for sale at utility stores whereas retail price of gram flour had been fixed at Rs22.50 per kg.
“The food department has already released 210,000 maunds of wheat to the flour mills which would also help bring down wheat flour prices further,” Dr Qazi pointed out and said that chief justice of the Sindh High Court had empowered all DDOs (Revenue) with judicial authority to arrest, convict and impose fine in cases where traders were found violating the government’s decisions pertaining to price control.
Regarding retail prices of meat, the cabinet was informed that Nazims and DCOs were in touch with the traders in order to ensure a cut in the prevailing prices.
Besides, the cabinet decided to create awareness in people with regard to identifying profiteers and encourage general public to approach the newly set up complaint cells to get their grievances redressed. Such cells have been set up at the CM House and the offices of city and town Nazims to register complaints of overcharging.
The cabinet also decided to re-activate all water and power complaint centres for providing an immediate relief to the consumers.
LAW & ORDER: The IGP, Syed Kamal Shah, informed the cabinet that a contingency plan had been chalked out to ensure security at and around all the major shopping centres in the province. Apart from a stepped up patrolling by police mobile units, police in civvies would be detailed to keep a vigilant eye on suspects.
Mr Shah further told the meeting that special measures were being taken to prevent terrorism and check vehicle-lifting. The measures, he said, included snap-checking of vehicles.
He said that some 5,000 most sensitive spots had been pin-pointed where stringent security measures would be ensured. Such spots, he added, included mosques, Imambargahs and the vicinities where Taraveeh was arranged to be offered in the open. He said that it would be ensured that the security personnel were visible at all such places.
The CCPO, he said, had been asked to ensure a smooth flow of traffic in Karachi and take measures to prevent traffic jams, especially during Iftar hours.
Regarding the planned campaign against beggary, that special check would be maintained to combat the menace and the beggars, often appearing on roads and streets in a large number during Ramazan and Eid days, would be picked up and shifted to Edhi centres by police.
PLOTS: The cabinet gave approval to the recommendations contained in the report of Justice Abdul Rehman Shah Committee regarding de-freezing and restoration of commercial, industrial and residential plots.
These plots were allotted in the period August 1990-November 1996 under various schemes of the now defunct KDA. However, the committee was asked to review its decision on amenity plots meant for allotment to reputed welfare organizations for development.
Regarding regularization of 321 officers, rendered redundant following closure of certain sections of the agriculture department, the cabinet constituted a sub-committee which was asked to consider prospects of their absorption and submit its report within 15 days.
ZAKAT: Minister for Auqaf and Religious affairs Dr Irfan Gul Magsi told the cabinet that an amount of Rs1 billion was available for distribution among Zakat-deserving people during Ramazan. The process would be expedited during the holy month, he added.
