ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government on Friday informed the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) that it has shared its online market complaints app titled ‘Qeemat Punjab’, meant to get a hands-on picture of price escalation and overpricing matters etc., with other provinces.
The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) meeting was held under the chairmanship of the special finance secretary to deliberate upon the prices of essential food and non-food items and to take stock of supply of essential items.
The meeting was attended by the representatives from the provincial governments, Islamabad Capital Territory, cabinet division, ministries of industries, commerce, national food security and research, planning development and reform, Federal Board of Revenue, Competition Commission of Pakistan, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and Utility Stores Corporation.
The meeting discussed in detail the trend of Consumer Price Index, which is the headline measure of inflation. The urban and rural inflation indexes were also reviewed by the NPMC.
It was also informed that the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), which monitors the prices of 51 essential items on a weekly basis, recorded an increase of 1.01pc during the week ending on Sept 19th. The committee also discussed the price movements of these items among the provinces and ICT and observed variations in the price level.
ICT administration informed that a new ‘sasta bazaar’ has been established in Chak Shehzad with 170 stalls functioning three days a week. It also apprised that the administration is establishing seven additional sasta bazaars in union councils to provide essential items at affordable prices.
“A sasta bazaar near Metro Cash and Carry with more than 900 stalls will be fully operationalised shortly. Further, the administration is developing a free home delivery app to provide essential items to the customers at their doorsteps at affordable prices.”
The Sindh government informed that they have developed a Tab for their chief secretary under ‘Sindh Performance Management System’ for price control functions.
Under the said system, all the district officers are required to update the actions taken by them to control the prices in their areas.
The KP government said it has passed the directions to all the deputy commissioners and food department field formations to establish sasta bazars at district and tehsil levels.
Punjab govt Excellent work