RAWALPINDI: Instead of implementing official price list in the open market, the district administration has designated a shelf at all grocery stores where edibles would be available at the rates fixed by the district committee.

The district administration has installed the shelf in main markets. However, the shops and stores in thickly-populated areas are selling food items at rates they had fixed.

On the other hand, the residents termed the idea of designating a shelf a joke as it could accommodate only a few items.

“In this way, the district administration has given a free hand to grocery stores to fix the prices of edibles,” said Mohammad Nasir, a resident of Chaklala Scheme-III.

Sets up shelf in every store where edibles to be provided at official rates; meeting told prices of potatoes, tomatoes, onions stable in Rawalpindi district

Raja Yasir, a resident of Usmanpura, said the increase in petrol prices and electricity tariff had made the lives of citizens miserable.

“Salaries of employees working in the private sector have not been increased for the last three years so one can imagine how they are coping with their household budgets,” he said.

Mohammad Asif, a resident of Satellite Town, said it was only the salaried class which was bearing the brunt of recent increase in prices of petrol and edibles. The business class on the other hand would neutralise the impact of price hike by increasing the rates of their items.

He said the district administration issued price list every month but it was not implemented.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah presided over a meeting on price control in the committee room on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ali, Additional Commissioner Coordination Saif Anwar Jappa and senior officials were present on the occasion.

The meeting reviewed the prices of food items in all the divisions and checked the supply position of sugar and flour. It was informed that strict action was taken against sugar dealers in all divisions including Rawalpindi for hoarding. The meeting was informed that a sugar dealer in Rawalpindi had been arrested on charges of hoarding.

The district officer industries briefed the meeting that imported sugar was being sold in 33 markets across the district and so far 329 tonnes had been sold.

Flour is being sold at government-fixed rates across the district, with 286,000 bags sold in these markets.

The meeting was informed that the prices of potatoes, tomatoes and onions were stable in Rawalpindi district.

The district officer industries told the meeting that 799 inspections were carried out this month to check hoarding.

On the other hand, the deputy commissioner said the district government had set up counters in all stores where edibles would be available at the rates fixed by the government. At present 127 such counters are functional in Rawalpindi division, he added.

The commissioner directed all price magistrates to monitor and ensure that substandard wheat flour was not sold at any sale point, adding that vendors should be closely monitored so that they sell sugar at Rs90kg as they had been given the commodity at subsidised rates.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2021