Bureau of Supply & Prices

Bureau of Supply & Prices

INTRODUCTION:

• Established under the Director General BSP along with its district offices to deal with the Price control and enforcement of Weights & Measures Act 1975.
• The Director General was authorized to exercise powers of Controller General Prices & Supplies under the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act, 1977 (Federal Law).
• After devolution of Local Govt. system 2001, the Bureau of Supply & Prices, Sindh was wound-up in 2002.
• The Department was revived vide SGA&CD Notification No:-SORI(SGA&CD)3-1/2002 Dated: 11^th, February 2008.
• It was declared as an Independent Department called “SUPPLY & PRICES DEPARTMENT”.
• In 2013, it was merged with the Agriculture Department and called AGRICULTURE, SUPPLY & PRICES DEPARTMENT.

FUNCTIONS:

• To issue direction to the Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners & Price Magistrate to control the price of essential commodities.
• Necessary assistance to the Special Magistrates (Prices) for price control, auction & Price Fixation of essential commodities.
• Collect price data of food items to compare with previous with current month for onward transmission to the Commissioners to stabilize the prices.
• To collect the market prevailing price wholesale/retail data from district offices and compile at divisional level, urban /rural for average Sindh price of essential commodities on daily basis.
• Coordination with the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) regarding weekly data of prices uploaded by Pakistan Bureau Statistic (PBS) & share its result with stake holders.
• To upload daily demand estimate, stock & prevailing retail prices of 31 essential food items from all districts of Sindh as required by National Food Security & Research GoP Islamabad.
• Registration & Renewal of Godowns under Registration of Godown Act 1995.
• To hear complaints under Consumer Protection Act 2014.
• Coordination with the consumer protection courts.
• To issue permission for establishing Bachat Bazars after obtaining NOC from stake holders i.e Deputy Commissioner, Senior Superintendent of Police & Land owing agencies
• Maintain Complaint Centre for complaints regarding profiteering, overcharging, hoarding, non-availability and short supply of essential food items for onward transmission to the concerned Special Magistrate (Price Control) for legal action.
• Collection of stock position arrival and removal of registered Godowns fortnightly basis.

LAWS APPLICABLE TO THE ORGANIZATION:

Govt. of Sindh vide Notification dated : 31^st, March, 2009 has assigned the following Laws to the BSP Sindh:-

• The Sindh Essential Commodities Price Control & Prevention of Profiteering & Hoarding Act 2005 Amended 2023.
• The Sindh Registration of Godowns Act, 1995.
• The Sindh Consumer Protection Act, 2014.
• The Sindh Standard Weights and Measures Act, 1975.

The Sindh Consumer Protection Act, 2014:

• The act provides protection to the consumers to file complaints against service providers.
• The Secretary or Director General Supply & Prices Department have been declared as Authority under act.

ITEMS OF REGISTRATION OF GODOWNS ACT 1995:

• Godown Registration Act 1995 provides provision for registration of Godown, ware-house, cold storage or depot of essential articles.
• Registration and renewal of Godowns of essential commodities.

Following 24 articles have been declared as essential articles:-

There are two category of Godowns i.e. A & B.

CATEGORY A

• ‘A’ upto 500 ft. Rs.500

CATEGORY B

• ‘B’ above Rs.1000.

FIRST SCHEDULE:

Following 57 articles of essential commodities as mentioned in first schedule of the Sindh Essential Commodities Price Control & Prevention of Profiteering & Hoarding Act 2005 and amended Act, 2023:-

Maintain Complaint Centre for complaints regarding profiteering, overcharging, hoarding, non-availability and short supply of essential food items for onward transmission to the concerned Special Magistrate (Price Control) for legal action.

• Sindh Consumer Protection Rules 2017
• The Sindh Registration of Godowns Act, 1995
• Gowdown registration rules 1996
• Price Control Act Merg ,2005,2008,2023
• Sindh Standard Weights and Measures Enforcement Act 1975
• Consumer protection Sindh Act No.XVII of 2015

• Proactive Disclosure of Information Under Section-6 & 7
• Designated Officer (Notification)