MINGORA: Swat Flour and Ghee Mills Association along with vegetable commission agents have decided to provide flour, ghee and vegetables at subsidised rates to sasta bazaar during Ramazan.

The food items at low rates are available at the sasta bazaar located at old bus stand near Green Chowk here.

The visitors said that they were buying different food items on cheaper than the market rates at the bazaar set up by the district administration.

“I found the prices of vegetables here cheaper than the regular market as I bought okra and tomato at Rs40 per kg and cucumber at Rs15 per kg in the sasta bazaar. It means vegetables are available at Rs10 to 20 cheaper than outside the markets,” said Saadullah Khan, a resident of Saidu Sharif who was shopping in the sasta bazaar.

Abdul Mateen, another visitor, said he bought the 20kg flour bag at Rs790 which was available at Rs850 in the outside shops.

Some visitors suggested that the district administration should establish one more sasta bazaar near Nishat Chowk or Haji Baba Chowk so that residents of the southern part of Mingora could also get subsidised food items.

The residents said that they observed an ample decrease in traffic jams on the roads as majority of the fruit and vegetable vendors shifted from the local roads to the sasta bazaar.

Swat deputy commissioner Saqib Raza Aslam told this correspondent that after consultations with all Swat traders’ federation, flour and ghee mills owners association and Sabzi Mandi commission agents association they agreed to provide subsidised items at the sasta bazaar.

“Swat flour mills association is giving Rs60 subsidy on the 20kg flour bags and ghee mills association Rs4 subsidy on per kilo ghee. The commission agents are providing 10 to 15 per cent rebate on vegetables,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2019