June 29, 2006	Thursday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 2, 1427

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LAHORE, June 28: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday announced a Rs2 billion subsidy for providing pulses and sugar to one million poor people, Rs10 less than the per kilogram market price of the commodities from next month.

The government is already providing 10-kilogram wheat bags to 500,000 poor people, Rs28 less than their market rate. According to the new decision, the number of recipients would also be increased to one million.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Punjab Price and Supplies Board at the chief minister’s secretariat here. Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja, Food Minister Chaudhry Iqbal, Agriculture Marketing Minister Rana Qasim Noon, Chief Secretary Salman Siddique, P&D Chairman Suleman Ghani, Punjab Price Control and Supplies Monitoring convener Khawaja Tahir Zia and other senior officials concerned also attended the meeting.

Sources said the food minister would head the official set up to be created for the provision of subsidized pulses and sugar to one million people leading life below the poverty line.

Presently, 500,000 such people receiving subsidised wheat bags were registered with the government while an equal number further would also be registered in near future.

They said the chief minister had asked officials concerned to finalise within 10 to 15 days the mechanism for the provision of subsidised sugar and pulses to the deserving people.

But the items would most probably be sold in Sunday and Friday Bazaars, wholesale markets and special sale points through DCOs who would be provided with lists of such people.

The chief minister, they said, had ordered all ruling party MPAs to also engage themselves in controlling hoarding and black-marketing of daily use items in their respective constituencies.

The chief minister said the committee to be headed by the food minister would give a practical shape to an action plan aimed at keeping prices of essential items at a reasonable level. The committee would visit all district headquarters to activate district price control committees.

He said the committee would monitor prices of daily use items every day. It would be the duty of all DCOs and market committees to take steps for keeping prices at a reasonable level.

The chief minister ordered that solid measures should be adopted to ensure regular supply of commodities and maintenance of their quality. The system of inspection should be made more effective for the purpose.

He directed officials concerned to enforce all relevant laws for controlling prices and protection of the rights of consumers. Stern action would be taken against black marketeers and hoarders.