October 08, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 08, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 7: The Sindh cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday decided to provide relief to the people by ensuring availability of wheat flour at the rate of Rs24 per kg not only at the Utility Stores, but also at stalls to be set up by flour mills in their respective localities. Each flour mill will set up five stalls and will get profit of Rs2 on the wheat supplied to them by the government.

Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who presided over the meeting, ordered the officials concerned to set up a monitoring-cum-complaints cell at the Chief Minister’s House to ensure prices of essential commodities remain at a reasonable level.

The cell will work round the clock and a minister will be available at the cell to attend to people’s complaints immediately.

Briefing media-men about the cabinet’s decisions, Information Minister Shazia Marri, flanked by Excise Minister Mukesh Kumar and Information Secretary Syed Hashim Raza, said that the chief minister had directed the law minister to prepare a summary to delegate magisterial powers to DDOs so that they could implement the Consumer Act and take action against its violators.

The cabinet also considered measures to boost wheat supply in the market and in this connection it decided to approach the Punjab government for relaxation in the cross-border movement of wheat so that the wheat supply position could be improved, which would help bring down the price of the essential commodity.

The cabinet was of the view that the wheat flour price was rising due to increase in its demand.

It was also decided to consult the Punjab government, as roti was being sold at Rs2 in that province, in order to adopt the same procedure in Sindh.

Ms Marri said that the chief minister had not only called for bringing the prices of essential commodities under control but also called for improving the law and order situation in the province.

The chief minister asked provincial ministers to pay regular visits to their respective constituencies and inquire after people’s problems, monitor the law and order situation and submit their reports to him along with their analyses and suggestions for the steps required to help solve the problems.

In reply to a question, Shazia Marri dispelled the impression that any minister would change.

She also said that the cabinet had discussed in detail the forthcoming sugarcane season, which would start from November in the province, and the matter would be taken up with the federal government vis-à-vis sugar prices.

The cabinet expressed its satisfaction regarding the availability of urea and DAP fertiliser but stressed the need for taking necessary steps so that there should be no shortage of fertiliser in future.

The cabinet condemned the terrorist attack on Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel, the attack on Awami National Party’s chief Asfandyar Wali and the rocket attack at the residence of the NWFP chief minister. Fateha was offered for those who lost their lives in these acts.