The government has rejected a proposal from the Prices and Incomes Board to include the 24 items under the Counter Inflation Act by the end of this month.
Attorney General and Minister for Public Enterprise, Aiyaz Sayed Khiayum said no order for price control on those items will be issued.
Sayed Khaiyum also said blanket price control does not really help the low income earners.
He said there are other ways to help the poor.
Sayed Khaiyum said the decision was a policy matter.
Some of the items which were to be included under the Counter Inflation Act included rolled Oats and Weet Bix, Ovaltine, Cocoa, Milo imported, tea of all types and forms, baking powder, bathing soap, toothpaste of all types, soap powder, mosquito coil imported, baby diapers, local and imported baby powder and baby cream, sanitary pads, toilet paper, baking soda, digging forks and spades, cane knives and roofing sheets.
The Prices and Incomes Board was intending to regulate the prices of these 24 items based on a directive by Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama due to the growing concern with the general trend of disparities in the prices of certain basic food items.
Govt rejects PIB proposal
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