KARACHI: Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput on Monday directed the divisional commissioners to take a stern action against profiteers.
This he directed while presiding over an important meeting on prices control of essential commodities in the province. Provincial Minister for Food Mukesh Kumar Chawla participated in the meeting through video link, while Secretary Home Saeed Ahmed Mangrejo, Commissioner Karachi Muhammad Iqbal Memon, Secretary Food Raja Khurram Shehzad Umar, Secretary General Administration Muhammad Hanif Chana, and all Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioner attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, the chief secretary Sindh said that the provincial government had sufficient stock of wheat available and it would continue supplying wheat flour at subsidized rates to the people.
“Besides the subsidized, the administration should control the open market rate of flour and take action against the profiteers,” he said. He further stated that the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah had also given instructions to control the flour prices.
In the meeting, the chief secretary directed all the divisional commissioners to visit the subsidized flour points established by the district administration and the food department. He said that security should also be ensured at the flour points, adding the police and rangers will provide security in this regard.
It was decided in the meeting that crackdown would be initiated across the province against alleged hoarding by flour mills and 100% grading of wheat released by the government should be ensured. It was decided in the meeting that the number of price control magistrates in the province will also be increased.
In the meeting, Provincial Food Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla said that subsidized flour points had also been increased across the province; 64 points had been set up in Karachi Division where five vehicles would be placed at every point.
Provincial Secretary Food Raja Khurram Shahzad Umar said that action was being taken against the District Food Officer MirpurKhas. In the meeting, the chief secretary ordered the secretary food to hold a meeting with mill owners and fix a market price of the flour.