LAHORE: Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal has directed all deputy commissioners to ensure timely resolution of complaints received on the Qeemat Punjab app and raise awareness among the public about its use.

He gave these orders while presiding over a meeting held to review the prices and availability of food items, especially flour, ghee, pulses and vegetables, at the Civil Secretariat on Thursday. The meeting decided to increase supply in the market and establish trucking points for a week to eliminate the impression of flour shortage.

The Qeemat Punjab app ensures price control and notifies citizens daily about the prices of food commodities set by the government.

The authorities briefed the chief secretary that flour was available in all the districts at the fixed price and there was no shortage anywhere.

Mr Sumbal ordered the field officers to intensify crackdown on illegal transportation of wheat and flour. He mentioned that providing relief to the people from inflation was the government’s priority.

The industries secretary presented a report on the ranking of districts as per their performance in price control.

The CS directed Multan, Khanewal, Rahim Yar Khan, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad to improve their performances, and appreciated those districts with more than 73 per cent score -- Chiniot, Narowal, Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal and Sialkot. He said a score of less than 50pc was not acceptable.

He also said subsidies were being given to the deserving people through the Ehsaas Ration Riayat Programme on four items, including flour.

The meeting was briefed that the authorities conducted more than 30,000 inspections across the province during the last three days, arresting 94 people, registering 48 cases and imposing fines of Rs4 million over different violations.

The administrative secretaries of industries, agriculture and food departments, the Special Branch additional inspector general of police and other officers concerned attended the meeting, while all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video links.

Published in Dawn, january 6th, 2023