LAHORE: Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman has directed deputy commissioners (DCs) to ensure the availability of food items at official rates and mobilize price control magistrates to provide relief to the people during the holy month of Ramazan.

He said this at a videolink meeting of all divisional commissioners and DCs at the Civil Secretariat on Friday.

The meeting reviewed measures for price control and the provision of free flour to deserving people.

The chief secretary said that providing relief to the people in Ramazan is the priority of the government so DCs should closely monitor the prices, demand and sup-ply of commodities.

He ordered stern action against the profiteers, saying the process of distribution of free flour is going well due to effective measures of the district administration and more than 1.3 million flour bags were distributed among the deserving people across the province on Thursday.

The food secretary briefed the meeting that 112,000 metric tons of wheat have been released to flour mills for the supply of free flour. He said that more than 5.5 million flour bags have been distributed free of cost to deserving in five days.

The PITB chairman, divisional commissioners and DCs participated in the meeting through a video link.Staff Reporter