(Khalid Sibtain)
Islamabad: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said on Friday that the government was making all out efforts to mitigate the impact of increased prices of commodities in the international market.
Talking to media persons outside Parliament House along with Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin, he said that provinces had responsibility in controlling prices of commodities.
He said that in the provinces where PTI was in power concrete steps were being taken to control prices and strict action was being taken against profiteers.
He said that in Punjab, 20 kg bag of flour was available at Rs 1100 whereas in Sindh where the PPP was ruling for the past 13 years it was being sold at Rs 1400.
He said such a big difference in prices of edibles was proof of the inefficiency of the ruling PPP.
He said that the government was working on food security as ten new dams were being built by the present regime and over 13 million acre land would be irrigated.
He said presently only 50 million acre land was being irrigated which would be increased by new dams construction.
He said with production of new dams 10000 mega watts power would be added in the system which would help reduce power tariff.
He said that for the first time Pakistan has started producing olive which was being produced in Potohar, Waziristan and Balochistan.
He said that according to FAO report, inflation wise September 2021 was the costliest month in history.
He said that OPEC has been asked to increase oil production to stabilize price of petroleum products.
He said that despite all odds, the government was making all out efforts to minimise the impact of international inflation on the consumers.
He said that since January this year the government has continuously reduced sales tax on petroleum products.
He said that the PTI government first reduced sales tax on petrol from 17 per cent to 11.5 percent and now it has been reduced to 6.8 per cent.
He said if the government had not reduced taxes on petroleum products, their prices could have crossed the Rs 150 mark.
He said that the Federal Bureau of Revenue has collected Rs 186 billion revenue more than the target of Rs 1211 billion for the first quarter.
He said this was proof that Pakistan’s economy was moving forward. He said when the PML-N came to power it increased sales tax on petroleum products to 17 per cent.
He said that 30 micro-finance institutions like wholesalers have been
involved in providing loans to the youth under the Kamyab Jawan program.
He said that interest free loans under Kamyab Jawan program would be given in backward areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab and Sindh.
He said that 22 billion loan has been provided to 18,000 people under the Kamyab Jawan program, Farrukh Habib said.
He said that Rs 260 billion budget has been allocated for Ehsaas program, 50,000 students to be given scholarships.
