ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: Prices of over 500 essential items have been reduced by five to 10 per cent under the prime minister’s relief package for Ramazan to provide economic relief to the people, said Federal Minister for Industries, Production and Special Initiatives Jehangir Khan Tareen.

The prime minister has approved a relief package to keep a check on prices of essential commodities during the holy month, the minister announced, while speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday.

“The government is fully committed to poverty alleviation and is specially keeping a close check on prices of essential commodities,” he said.

The benefit of the prime minister’s relief package would reach people through 400 utility stores, weekly bazaars, 59 mobile stores and 107 temporary Ramazan stalls, Mr Tareen said.

Utility stores would be selling pulses, rice, gram flour, squashes/syrups, dates, pickle, milk and spices at 10 per cent reduced rates, and tea, vegetable Ghee/oil at five per cent reduced rates from September 27 till the last day of the holy month.

The minister said the price of sugar had been reduced to Rs23 per kg since April. Atta (flour) was being sold at subsidized price of Rs11.50 per kg through utility stores.

In addition to these items, utility stores would be selling other over 500 items at five to 15 per cent less prices.

The stores would also be extending their network on temporary basis during Ramazan, while expecting a sale of Rs2 billion and providing a relief of Rs264 million to the people, the minister said.

It was expected that not only would the prices be reduced during the month, they would remain low and stable even afterwards, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, utility stores managing director Brig (retired) Hafeez Ahmad said there were over 900 items on which the stores were providing relief to the public.

Responding to a question that this relief was being provided through utility stores which were very few in number and covered a small proportion of the population, the minister said mobile units would cover other places, including rural areas, as well.

Staff Reporter adds: The capital administration has constituted 25 price control committees in Islamabad to check prices of consumer goods during the holy month of Ramazan, a spokesman for the administration said on Tuesday.

These committees would be headed by the area magistrates and assistant commissioners, he said.

He said shopkeepers had been directed to display price lists and provide quality items to consumers. Action will be taken against the violators.

He said 25 fair price shops and four Sasta bazaars would be set up in different vicinities to facilitate the consumers and overcome shortage of consumer items.

He said District Food Controller Mohammad Afzal was holding meetings with the traders of Sabzi Mandi to ensure provision of perishable items at cheaper rates.

The spokesman said meetings were also being arranged with the office-bearers of the Flour Mills Association, who had promised to ensure adequate supply of flour in the market at reasonable rates during Ramazan.