It is heartening to note that National Price Monitoring Committee meets regularly to take stock of the situation in relation to availability and prices of various essential goods. The finance minister who presides over such meetings issues directives. In its Monday’s meeting, the committee asked the provinces to continue daily releases of subsidised wheat and ensure its availability to general public at affordable prices throughout the country in compliance with the directives of the Prime Minister.

Unfortunately, however, the committee has done little or nothing to expand its scope beyond “essential items”. It must not lose sight of the fact that the prices of daily use “non-essential” items, too, constituting a huge challenge for the common man. There is, therefore, the need for going beyond the prices of essential items.

Sanjeev Mehta (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021