Amman, July 17 (Petra) -- The government has added more items to the list of goods and services exempted from sales tax, bringing the total number to 260 items, Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit said on Sunday.

This step, Bakhit said, aims to bring down prices of those items and ease financial burdens on low- and middle-income groups, vowing to add more items to the list in case prices of exempted items dropped.

Bakhit was speaking at a meeting with commercial and industrial sectors to discuss preparations for the holy month of Ramadan. He thanked tradesmen, shopping malls owners and the two sectors' institutions for their pledge to fix prices during Ramadan.

The government, he stressed, will step in if some tradesmen increased prices in a way that is not justified, pledging action to maintain citizens' rights in the availability of consumer goods with normal prices.

The premier asked citizens not to rush to buy "unneeded" items during Ramadan. He also urged citizens to rationalize the use of water, electricity and fuel derivatives.

"The Kingdom's stock of food items is comfortable," Bakhit said, adding that stocks at consumer corporations are enough for 3-4 months.

Minister of Industry and Trade Hani Al Mulqi, who hosted the meeting, underlined importance of sale tax exemptions to reflect on citizens before exempting more items. "Intensive talks with different sectors aim to achieve price stability in Ramadan and after," Mulqi told the meeting.

Chairman of Jordan Chamber of Commerce Senator Nael Kabariti expressed the commercial sector indignation over the impact of demonstrations and sit-ins on commercial activities. Prices of food items, he affirmed, will not be increased during the month of Ramadan, rather they would fall, thanks for planned offers for citizens.

Kabariti said the chamber will open a complaints window for citizens during the holy month of Ramadan, to report any unjustifiable increase in prices.

Chairman of Jordan Chamber of Industry Hatem Hilwani thanked the government for its positive decisions to serve the sector. He reiterated the industrial sector's commitment to provide high-quality goods with competing prices. The dairy sector, he said, will not increase prices.

© Jordan News Agency - Petra 2011