ISLAMABAD, DEC 31 (DNA) – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday approved the online agri-dashboard developed by National Security Division, which will monitor food prices and availability of commodities at national, provincial and district levels.

The Dashboard will use authentic indicators to prevent any food crisis and will also be effective in preventing hoarding and profiteering. The prime minister directed need for urgent measures to control inflation of items such as flour, sugar and pulses.

He stressed the need to increase exports and find local alternative to imports to ensure increase of current account surplus. This was the first of the series of weekly meetings meant to review progress of priority sectors.

PM’s Special Assistant Dr. Moeed Yousuf, Secretaries of the ministries concerned and senior officials attended the meeting, whereas chief secretaries of the four provinces participated via video-link.

On the direction of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the areas which have been given a priority status include food security, agriculture, electricity, manpower, foreign investment, privatization, information technology and exports to implement major reforms in six sectors that faced neglect in the past.

According to PM Office, from now onwards, there will be a weekly review meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, where he will be given briefings on the progress of these meetings with special focus on each sector. = DNA