Supply of essentials: Punjab to set up transport control rooms

While the central transport control room is headed by the State Transport Commission, the facilitation controls rooms in the districts will be headed by the secretary, RTA

The Punjab government on Sunday announced to set up transport facilitation control rooms to maintain uninterrupted movement of trucks carrying essential commodities in the state and also decided to impose penalty on anyone found selling essentials above maximum retail price (MRP).

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While the central transport control room is headed by the State Transport Commission, the facilitation controls rooms in the districts will be headed by the secretary, RTA, according to an official spokesperson.

Following orders from chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the transport department has also stepped up supplies for other states which are deficient in foodgrains and other essentials.

The outward movement of stocks to deficient states has gone up by almost 50% over the normal, said an official spokesperson, adding that nearly 20-25 rakes of wheat and rice containing 54,000 to 67,500 tonnes are being dispatched daily to other states.

The CM, during a cabinet meeting on Saturday, gave strict instructions to check the prices of all essential commodities and take strong action against those found hoarding, black marketing and overcharging, he said.

Enforcement teams are working constantly to check overpricing and are taking stringent action against those indulging in such malpractices, he added.

As many as 15 establishments in Pathankot, 10 in Gurdaspur, 15 in Ferozepur, one in Ludhiana and 11 in SAS Nagar have been raided by the enforcement teams and one gas agency has been challaned, he added.