LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Food Abdul Aleem Khan has directed the district officers of the food department across the province to ensure strict monitoring of flour mills in their respective areas to check transportation of official wheat to any other province.
He warned that if the officers of the food department showed negligence, stern action would be taken against them without any discrimination. He added that he would personally visit different districts this week to take on the spot notice of the situation and action would be taken in case of any complaint.
Presiding over a video link meeting of all the district food officers and deputy directors from across Punjab on Tuesday, Abdul Aleem Khan said the Punjab government was giving a huge subsidy of billions of rupees for low price flour which should directly benefit the common man.
He said he was getting reports on subsidized flour through his private teams while special branch and other agencies were also giving their feedback in that regard. He directed the food officers of border districts including Attock and Rahim Yar Khan to keep a close watch on flour smuggling to other provinces.
He said he would not allow anybody to purchase the atta of the Punjab government and sell the same flour at high prices in other provinces. Aleem Khan said that low price flour should not be transported directly from any other flour mill or through an agent for sell in other provinces and if it goes out, its responsibility will fall on the food department and local administration.
Abdul Aleem Khan pointed out that the supply of subsidized flour is 90 percent available and the remaining 10 percent should be ensured and immediate action should be taken where there is any complaint. Secretary Food Dr Asad-ur-Rehman Gillani, Director Food Punjab and senior officers also attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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