Islamabad: Rawat to have ‘bountiful’ Ramazan

[LahoreEstate]

The Rawat weekly bazaar has 100 shops where almost all kitchen commodities from fruits and vegetable to grocery items will be available. — Photo by AP/File

ISLAMABAD: This Ramazan will bring some additional blessings to the people of rural areas as the capital administration has established the first weekly bazaar in Rawat to offer consumer items on subsidised rates.

‘The bazaar has been set up on the demand of people of the area from where complaints were coming about exorbitant rates of fruits and vegetables,’ Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Amir Ali Ahmed told Dawn on Monday.

The official said the administration had planned last year to establish at least two weekly bazaars in rural areas on the pattern of three such markets already functioning in urban areas of the city – H-9, G-6 and G-11 sectors.

The Rawat weekly bazaar has 100 shops where almost all kitchen commodities from fruits and vegetable to grocery items will be available.

Before the establishment of this weekly market, about 50 per cent of the total population of Islamabad living outside municipal limits of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was deprived of the facility of having subsidised and sufficient quantity of food items in their nearby localities.

Giving details about fixing of prices and functioning of the newly set up bazaar, Mr Ahmed said a committee had been formed, including assistant commissioner rural, Rawat Union Council administrator and assistant director local government as official members. Two members of the New Rawat Market and two consumers will assist the committee in determining the prices. The market will ensure availability of quality items at prices equivalent to those demanded in CDA bazaars, he said.

Demand for fruits, vegetables and other kitchen items generally increases during the holy month of Ramazan.

In order to ensure security in the bazaar, the deputy commissioner directed the Rawat UC administrator to ensure availability of walkthrough gates and other security gadgets.

The union council administrator will also be the administrator of the bazaar and will ensure quality control.Mr Ahmed said a project concept (PC-1) had also been prepared for the construction of a weekly bazaar in Bhara Kahu. ‘This project will be placed before the Islamabad Development Working Party (IDWP) forthcoming meeting.’

The official directed his team to ensure that the prices of essential commodities at the new weekly bazaar should be comparatively cheaper so that the bazaar could provide relief to the people.

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