Peshawar: Feb 25: Ramzan Relief Measures Intensified Across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahab Ali Shah, convened 2nd high level meeting to review and streamline the Ramzan relief efforts across the province.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary Food, Officials of Local Government Department, all Commissioners, and Deputy Commissioners, who participated via video link.
The Chief Secretary took a comprehensive review of the availability of essential commodities, particularly sugar, in markets across all districts. He directed the concerned authorities to ensure an uninterrupted supply of sugar and other staple food items to cater to the needs of the public during the holy month of Ramzan.
To facilitate the public and prevent any artificial shortages or price hikes, the Deputy Commissioners have been tasked with ensuring the availability of essential commodities, including flour, chicken, meat, milk, ghee, gram flour (besan), rice, gram pulse, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes.
Furthermore, to maintain price stability, the Food Department has been directed to monitor the prices of 12 essential items and submit daily reports to the Chief Secretary. Additionally, in order to ensure uninterrupted electricity and gas supply, the Chief Secretary will engage with relevant high-level officials, with a particular focus on Peshawar.
To prevent inflationary pressures and ensure transparency in market operations, district price control committees have been activated in all districts to regularly monitor and regulate market prices. Besides this desks have been set up in all tehsils to track commodity prices and ensure compliance with official rates.
The mechanism of Auction Process in Fruit Mandis has been streamlined to prevent price manipulation.
The meeting was told that crackdowns have been initiated against hoarding and artificial shortages and continuous assessments are being conducted to ensure the availability of essential commodities.
Moreover, dedicated WhatsApp numbers have been established in all districts to facilitate public complaints regarding overpricing and shortages.
The administration in districts have reshuffled staff to ensure efficiency and transparency in market regulation.
The Chief Secretary underscored that all efforts will be made to provide maximum relief to the public. He stressed the importance of accurate reporting from all districts to facilitate evidence-based decision-making. He further directed district administrations to remain vigilant and take strict action against any violations of government directives related to price control and hoarding.
