|
|
|
| September 25, 2006 | Monday | Ramazan 1, 1427 |
Aziz directs CMs to check prices
ISLAMABAD, Sept 24: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Sunday paid a surprise visit to Aabpara utility store and local market to review the prices of essential commodities and ensure that the consumers got these items at reduced rates according to the Ramazan Package announced by the government.
The prime minister along with Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Senator Tariq Azeem, Minister of State for Finance Omer Ayub and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Commander Khalilur Rehman visited Aabpara utility store and Aabpara Market.
During his visit to the utility store, the prime minister was informed by the store officials that sale of the utility store had increased after reduction in the prices of essential commodities.
The prime minister mixed up with the customers present in the store and asked them about availability of essential items and their prices. The people told the prime minister that they were getting all essential items at reduced rates as announced in the Ramazan Package.
They also appreciated the quality of the items and told the prime minister that they were not facing any problem in getting any item from the store at reduced rates.
Talking to some of the customers, Shaukat Aziz asked them about Ramazan Package. They told him that it had provided them great relief.
Shaukat Aziz asked the women customers about the quality of the commodities. They told him that the quality of the commodities was good.
Later, the prime minister stopped at Aabpara Market and visited different shops and talked with the buyers busy in Ramzan shopping. The prime minister mixed up with the people, who thanked him for taking measures to maintain the prices of essential commodities during Ramzan.
During his surprise visit, the prime minister was without any protocol and was travelling in a private car bearing no flag. While visiting the utility store, the prime minister paid the bill of Rs1,335 of a women customer.
After visiting the utility store, some women present around the store informed the prime minister about their problem and he gave them financial help.
A large number of the people of the area gathered at the store to welcome the prime minister and cheered him when he came out of the store.
Later, talking to newsmen, Shaukat Aziz said that he had conducted the surprise visit to the utility store to ensure that customers got essential commodities at reduced prices as announced in the Ramazan Package. The prime minister said that he had directed all chief ministers to take immediate steps for continuous monitoring of the system to ensure that there was no hoarding.
He said essential items including ghee, edible oil, flour rice, pulses, dates, pickle, ketchup, milk, spices and many other items were being provided to the consumers at the utility stores throughout the country at reduced prices.
He said the government would give a subsidy of Rs650 million to the utility stores to provide essential items to the people at reduced prices during Ramazan.
He said in all 1,450 items would be available at reduced prices at the utility stores including some important daily use items.
He said the price of ghee had been reduced by Rs6 per kg, flour (Atta) was available at Rs11 per kg instead of Rs13, while there was 10 per cent reduction in the prices of rice, Baisen, pulses, (white gram and red Lobia), squashes, syrups, dates, pickle, ketchup, milk, spices and 5 per cent reduction will be given on tea at the existing USC prices.
He said Channa, Moong, Mash, Masoor and sugar shall continue to be sold at the heavily subsidised rates. He said the chief ministers had been asked to check prices through the price control magistrates.
The prime minister said that the federal ministers and state ministers along with the members of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Team would conduct surprise raids to check prices of essential items.— APP
|
|
|
|
