LAHORE: The Punjab government has renamed the Price Control and Commodities Management Department as the Food Safety & Consumer Protection (FS&CP) Department, placing five attached agencies and four autonomous bodies under its supervision to improve food safety and protect consumers.
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The change was notified by the Services and General Administration Department following amendments approved by the Punjab governor in the Rules of Business 2011. Officials said the restructuring aims to strengthen oversight against food adulteration, profiteering and unjustified price hikes.
Under the new framework, five attached departments will report to the FS&CP Department. These include the Directorate General Enforcement (Prices and Consumer Protection), DG Food/Cane Commissioner Punjab, Director Agriculture (Economic and Marketing), Punjab Institute of Agriculture Marketing, and the Consumer Protection Council.
In addition, four autonomous bodies — Punjab Food Authority, Punjab Agriculture Marketing Regulatory Authority, Punjab Halal Development Agency and Punjab Sahulat Bazaars Authority — will also operate under the department’s umbrella, according to Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Salma Butt.
Ms Butt said the Punjab Consumer Protection Act 2025 has been introduced, increasing penalties from Rs1,000 to Rs100,000. Consumers can now lodge complaints through helplines, mobile apps, online portals or directly with deputy commissioners, with jurisdiction extended to all 41 districts.
She said Consumer Protection Courts have been abolished and pending cases transferred to deputy commissioners for speedy disposal. During 2025, about 6,600 complaints were filed, of which nearly 4,900 were resolved.
The government has also deployed 1,827 price control magistrates across the province to ensure quality standards and adherence to official prices. Their performance is being monitored daily through geo-tagging systems.
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Ms Butt said 11 projects have been approved, including the establishment of the Sahulat Bazaar Authority at a cost of Rs12.48 billion. Around Rs10bn has been allocated for 105 Sahulat Bazaars, with 48 already operational and 10 mobile “On-the-Go” bazaars functioning in Lahore.
Secretary Dr Kiran Khurshid said reforms in agriculture markets have boosted transparency and revenue, with digital monitoring and body cameras introduced to regulate auctions and supply chains.