PA body orders probe into financial irregularities in agri dept

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee-I (PAC-I) on Thursday ordered multiple inquiries into alleged financial and administrative irregularities in the provincial agriculture department and its attached institutions after an audit report revealed serious lapses involving subsidy funds, procurement practices, tax deductions, and seed management.

The committee, chaired by Chaudhry Iftikhar Hussain Chhachhar, conducted a detailed review of audit paras relating to the agriculture department and its subsidiary organizations. The audit report pointed out several irregularities, including the alleged misappropriation of unutilized subsidy funds, delayed deposit of profit earned on public money, under-deduction of taxes from contractors, and the purchase of printed material without inviting open tenders.

Expressing strong displeasure, the committee termed the violations ‘unacceptable’ and directed the relevant authorities to complete an inquiry and submit a report within 15 days. Questioning the department’s financial management, Chairman Chhachhar remarked, “Does the Punjab Agriculture Department not wish to return unutilized funds to the finance department?” Public funds must be managed transparently and in accordance with financial rules, he remarked.

The audit report also disclosed that the Punjab Seed Corporation achieved a maize yield of only three maunds per acre, raising concerns over poor agricultural performance. The chairman questioned whether the low productivity of various crops had caused losses to the national exchequer. The committee further expressed concern over the purchase of seed worth Rs29 million at higher prices and its subsequent sale at lower rates, directing the secretary agriculture to conduct a comprehensive inquiry and submit a report within 90 days. The chairman also observed that the failure to auction cotton lint after seed extraction had resulted in additional losses to the national exchequer.

The committee instructed the agriculture department to strengthen its governance, financial discipline, and accountability mechanisms, and directed all concerned departments to submit their progress reports to the committee within the prescribed timelines.

Officials of the Punjab Assembly, agriculture department, and other government departments attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026