LAHORE: Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has deputed provincial ministers, advisers, special assistant to the chief minister as well as administrative secretaries to monitor prices of essential commodities, especially flour and sugar on a daily basis.

According to a statement, Mr Buzdar wants the ministers, advisers and special assistants to spend two days every week in their assigned districts and monitor the availability of essential commodities in market, display of price/ rate lists and execution of the notified rate/ price lists by the district administrations.

They will also oversee effective action against hoarding and profiteering in their assigned districts and will be required to submit their reports to the Chief Minister’s Office on the prescribed proforma on a weekly basis.

The administrative secretaries, deputed to monitor prices of essential commodities, would visit their assigned districts twice a week and for remainder of week through representatives not below the rank of BPS-19.

The CM directed that the administrative secretaries during the visit should neither regularly engage district administrations nor hold marathon briefing sessions.

“Interaction with the respective district administration shall be only and only on a need basis in carrying out the functions of price monitoring and checking,” Mr Buzdar directed and further expected that the officers should use their knowledge and experience for effective price control. The officers would be required to submit their reports on daily basis.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2020