(MENAFN- The Peninsula) DOHA: The State Cabinet yesterday approved a draft law that regulates dealing in subsidised commodities and prevents manipulating their prices and quantities.
The draft law makes a permit from authorities mandatory for dealing in subsidised commodities.
It has set conditions for those who can be licensed to deal in the commodities and drew the mechanism of submitting a request for a permit and its duration.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani chaired the cabinet’s regular weekly session at its Emiri Diwan premises yesterday. The bill defines subsidised commodities as food and fodder subsidised by the state.
A cabinet decision will specify subsidised commodities, their maximum prices, and beneficiaries of the subsidy. Those licensed to deal in subsidised commodities are prohibited from selling them at prices higher than decided by the government.
They are banned from selling such commodities in quantities weighing less than that specified by the relevant department. It is not allowed replace them with commodities of less quality to make profit from the difference in prices.
The draft law bans mixing them with other products to change their composition with the intent of trading in them.
It is not allowed to refuse to sell the commodities or to sell them in quantities that exceeds the specified limits.
Hiding the commodities or shutting the store for the purpose of not selling them or promoting certain commodities are also banned.
The dealers are not permitted to associate their sale to that of another commodity, suspend their sale in a way that violates the provisions of the law or sell /store them outside the licensed place.
The draft law bans selling the commodities to non-beneficiary segments unless licensed to do that and exporting them abroad.
The Minister of Economy and Commerce will specify via a decision, regulations for licensing the sale of these commodities, with or without subsidy, to non-beneficiary segments and set a maximum price on them.
The Cabinet took measures to issue a draft law on psychological health, after examining the recommendations of the Advisory Council .
The draft law includes provisions related to the care for and rights of psychiatric patients, administrative and compulsory admission to psychiatric treatment institutions licensed to provide services such as examination, treatment and care, judicial placement of defendants at a government facility and treating and caring for psychiatric patients.
Existing institutions will be required to adjust their status in line with the provisions of the new law within six months of its implementation.
The Cabinet also took measures to issue a draft law amending some provisions of the military service law (Law No. 31 of 2006) after reviewing the Advisory Council’s recommendations.
The draft law specifies cases in which a military personnel can be given special leave.
The Cabinet also reviewed a draft law on State Audit Bureau and took measures.
The Peninsula