ISLAMABAD, Aug 1: The government decided on Friday to make arrangements for setting up urea distribution outlets at the tehsil level.

The main urea manufacturers will ensure supply at fixed price at these outlets, which would help poor farmers increase their yield of various crops, particularly wheat, sugar, pulses etc.

The decision was reached at a meeting of the Economy Monitoring Committee (EMC), headed by Minister for Finance Syed Naveed Qamar.

The meeting also considered the matter pertaining to the additional gas supply to urea producers for increasing its production to meet the upcoming demand.

An official announcement said the meeting reviewed import and distribution of urea and decided to devise a comprehensive feasibility for import and distribution of urea through private sector in addition to the existing Trading Corporation of Pakistan’s arrangements.

Mr Qamar also directed the ministries of commerce and food, agriculture and livestock to ensure sufficient availability of all food items well in advance before the advent of Ramazan.

The EMC asked the TCP to increase frequency of tenders while observing all rules and regulations set by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Regulatory Authority (Pepra).

The meeting was briefed by Minfal regarding the available stocks of food items and prevailing market prices.

The EMC will review measures to reduce the import bill, including petroleum products, in its meeting on Monday.

Earlier, while chairing a separate meeting of the EAC, the finance minister directed the officials concerned to make efforts to bring down government expenditure and suggest ways and means to utilise public sector development programme through public-private partnership.

The meeting also discussed to prepare a plan for issuing fuel cards to motorcycle users for providing them fuel on comfortable prices as this mode of transport is generally practised by a majority of the people.

The meeting observed that parliamentarians have an important role to play during the preparation of budget, which requires proper training and skills for respective purposes and the assistance offered by Canada in this regard would be highly useful. It decided that the budget should be sent to the standing committees by the respective departments well in advance for a detailed discussion and necessary improvement in the budget making process.