Staff Reporter :
The government is going to be tough against hoarders to keep the commodities prices stable and to ask to conduct mobile courts to monitor the markets.
Besides, it has also directed to cut power consumption by 25 percent in all the government offices to combat the ongoing power and energy crises.
Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister told it to the media on Wednesday after a meeting held at the PMO on the government’s austerity measures attended by Senior Secretaries and Secretaries of all ministries and government departments.
According to Dr Kaikaus, several decisions have been taken to tackle the ongoing crisis. He said that the Finance Division would issue necessary gazettes with the aim of using less than 20 percent of the energy sector budget allocation.
“Market monitoring system will be strengthened in order to keep the commodities’ prices stable. Mobile courts will be introduced and tough action will be taken against illegal stockpiling,” he said.
He further said that it has been decided in the meeting to cut down on foreign travels of government officials unless they are absolutely necessary.
They also instructed all departments concerned to take necessary steps for increasing internal resource collection from the very beginning of the current fiscal and also urged the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to take effective measures to reach set targets.
“Each ministry will review its own procurement plan and take initiatives to reduce revenue expenditure,” Dr Kaikaus added.
