The government has been "clearly tasked" to apply the maximum wage at all levels of the public sector, Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb announced at a press conference Sunday. Mehleb added the Ministry of Supply has also been instructed to offer affordably-priced high quality products and food commodities at government-owned shops. The final draft for the 2014/2015 state budget reveals the government's determination to achieve economic and financial reforms, Mehleb said. Mehleb added that the reforms will be implemented through the rationalization of expenditures, efficient allocation of resources and wealth, achievement taxation justice and raising production capacity. Among the attendees was Minister of Foreign Trade, Industry and Small and Medium Enterprises Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour, Minister of Planning, Follow-up and Administrative development Ashraf Al-Araby, and Minister of Petroleum Sherif Samy. Also attending was Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Khaled Hanafy, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Finance Hany Dimian, Minister of Transportation Hany Dahy and Minister of Investment Ashraf Salman. Mehleb said the government is aware of the recurring power outages, adding they are a result of the high demands on the electricity system. He added the government will take serious steps to remedy the power shortages, including importing gas, exploration and station maintenance. According to the Egyptian cabinet, 672 ministerial decrees were issued by Mehleb during the previous government. Around 29 decrees were referred to the presidency with 112 decrees approved and issued by the former Interim President Adly Mansour.
