Holding a meeting with Minister for Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato, Chief Secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire, secretaries of MoCS, Ministry of Agriculture, chiefs of Department of Commerce and Nepal Oil Corporation, among others, PM Nepal also asked the market regulators to check possible penetration of substandard food and other consumable goods in the market.[break]
"Take every possible step to control the price hike and black marketing," PM Nepal said, addressing the meeting. He asked the Department of Commerce to make sure that food stores across the country were operating with standard price lists so that consumers are not cheated.
He further asked the supplies ministry and the Home Ministry to work together to check black marketing and ensure smooth supply of goods during the festive season.
On the occasion, officials complained about the lack of stringent law to punish black marketeers and hoarders. However, PM Nepal instructed them not to let go wrongdoers even if that requires amendment of the existing laws. PM Nepal also advised them to punish traders who were selling Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders with low weight.
PM Nepal also took information of market monitoring activities conducted by the Food Technology and Quality Control Department.
Purushottam Ojha, secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, briefed the prime minister about the steps taken by the ministry to ensure fair market operations. He said that the ministry was setting up fair-price shops in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur from October 1 to enable people to secure essential goods at reasonable prices.
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