September 18, 2008	Thursday	Ramazan 17, 1429

LAHORE, Sept 17: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered planning for easy availability of flour at fixed rates in the market in the last week of Ramazan so that people should not face any difficulty on Eid. He also ordered to increase the supply of flour to all districts in the province.

He said this at a meeting at Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Wednesday which reviewed Ramazan Package and measures to control prices of essential items in Ramazan, according to a handout.

Mr Sharif said due to comprehensive steps, flour would be available to people in abundant quantity even after Eid. He directed the authorities to adopt a comprehensive strategy for the sale of roti for Rs2 in the province even after Ramazan. He made a committee to be headed by the chief secretary to ensure the implementation of the programme.

He said three laboratories would be set up to check the quality of atta in the province and funds would be issued immediately for the labs.

He praised the efforts of regional coordination officers and other senior officers for maintaining the prices of essential commodities and the sale of 20 kg atta bag for Rs300 and roti for Rs2.

He said the committee set up for ensuring sale of roti for Rs2 should take up the project as a challenge as it was the first step towards surmounting other problems.

He directed the chief secretary that if any complaint was received against any official concerned with the roti project, he may be removed in 24 hours and report be submitted to him.

The meeting learnt that 2,536 fair price shops and 367 Ramazan bazaars were set up in the province whereas 716 magistrates were deployed to check price hike.

The magistrates conducted 36,276 raids and registered 471 cases and a fine of Rs6.9 million was received. Also, 163 free iftari centres were set up for free iftari at various places throughout the province.

Similarly, atta bags were also provided at CSD shops and effective steps were also taken for checking the smuggling.

The meeting was attended by Task Force Chairman SA Hameed, Samiullah Chaudhry, the chief secretary, the additional chief secretary, the home secretary, the food secretary, implementation and coordination secretary, finance secretary and regional coordination officers.