KARACHI, April 24: The Sindh government has revived the Bureau of Supply and Prices to check the ever-increasing prices of essential commodities, such as milk, meat, ghee, flour, fruits and vegetable, and poultry, etc.

The bureau, which functioned under the ministry of agriculture, was disbanded in March 2002 and its functions were given to the city district government.

The decision to revive the defunct bureau was taken by the caretaker government in February, which felt that the city government had failed to contain prices, and hence it decided to take over the functions by reviving the bureau with the appointment of a director-general.

Prior to its abolishment, the bureau had its independent directorate at NIPA, which was later occupied by the directorate of minerals still functioning in the same premises.

Sources at the ministry told Dawn on Thursday that there were 275 officers and staff, including inspectors, at the time of disbandment of the bureau who were placed at the disposal of Services and General Administration department.

The ministry has written to the finance department to create posts for 344 staff, including officers who are required to perform the function of price control at the district and headquarter level.

There is also a need to create posts for godown inspectors, who would raid storage houses to check hoarding and issue prices of various commodities.

People do not expect any qualitative change in the price scenario with the revival of the bureau of prices as they do not have good memories of the good old days when the bureau was alive.

Announcement of essential commodity rates from radio was a regular feature, but the official rates made a mockery of prices prevalent in the market.

There were daily media reports about fines and imprisonment of shopkeepers violating government fixed rates by raiding magistrates but to no avail as the consumers never got items on official rates.

The role of the city government which was devolved with the function of price control had either not been satisfactory in recent months when consumers saw an unprecedented rise in prices of fresh milk, meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables.

According to media reports, Investment Enterprise department of the city government had some under-the-table compromise with the milk retailers to allow them to increase prices arbitrarily.

In the first instances the city government expressed its inability to control prices as it officials do not have the magisterial powers to punish profiteers. However when the powers were provided, no significant relief in prices was felt by consumers.

When contacted, Executive District Officer of the Investment Promotion and Enterprises of the City District Government, Shahab Imam, said that the department had succeeded in controlling fresh milk prices as retailers had committed that they would not sell milk over Rs34 per liter.

Presently, the IP&E is negotiating with the kiryana association to bring kiryana items prices to a reasonable level.