LAHORE: Caretaker Minister for Information and Culture Aamir Mir visited free flour distribution points established at Mustafaabad, Press Club, Model Bazaar, Railway Station and Muneer Shaheed Colony in Kasur and reviewed the provision of facilities for the citizens.
The minister announced that atta points would remain closed every Friday as decided by the government. The minister expressed his indignation over the closure of five centres by the Kasur administration by as early as 10am.
He reprimanded Deputy Commissioner Kasur for not paying attention to the administrative issues and directed him to visit each flour point himself to improve the arrangements. He directed Assistant Commissioner Kasur to immediately change the in-charge of Mustafaabad flour point, and ordered to shift the press club flour point to another suitable place.
The minister directed to increase scanning counters at press club, railway station and Munir Shaheed Colony free flour points and to increase tents for the convenience of the people at railway station and Munir Shaheed Colony flour points.
On every visit, he stressed on catering to the elderly, disabled persons and women accompanied by children on priority basis. Information counters must be established at prominent points so that the eligibility of the citizens can be decided swiftly, Aamir Mir said.
Later, he visited various free flour points in Tehsil Cantt Lahore and reviewed the facilities provided to the citizens. The minister reprimanded the administration for making queues of people outside the centre despite availability of space inside.
He termed the arrangements at Millennium Marquee Bhatta Chowk and Serene Event Complex unsatisfactory and directed to improve them immediately. He took notice of the non-availability of staff at the scanning counter at the Millennium Marquee and said that more staff should be deployed here because the faster the scanning counter works, the less crowded the centre will be.
The minister directed the assistant commissioner Cantt to continuously monitor the flour distribution points themselves, and to appoint vigilant staff to maintain order there. He directed the administrative officers to treat the beneficiaries with kindness.