mechanical ‘roti’ plants but all has been wasted,” he said.
Talking to ‘The News’, people belonging to different walks of life urged the government to restart the scheme for the welfare of public because poor people could not buy ‘rotis’ at high rates. A common man would be able to buy ‘rotis’ for his family easily if the government restarts the ‘sasti roti scheme’, they said.
Shahnaz Fatima, a poor woman, said, “The government at once stopped the ‘sasti roti’ scheme as they came into power. They should start public welfare schemes more as now they are in power.”
Niaz Ahmed, a resident of Waris Khan, said that the PML-N government launched the ‘sasti roti scheme’ during last tenure and provided great relief particularly to the poor community. Now, the government could run this project in a better way but it was stopped creating worst situation for the poor, he said. He said that there were two ‘tandoors’ and a mechanical ‘roti’ plant in his area. “We used to purchase ‘sasti rotis’ easily but now it has become difficult for us to buy these from private ‘tandoors’. The government should restart the ‘sasti roti scheme’ to provide some relief to the poor,” he demanded.
According to the City District Government, Rawalpindi, the ‘sasti roti’ plants were operational in different localities, including Naseerabad, Dhoke Chiraghdin, Shamsabad, Dhoke Kala Khan, Pirwadhai, Bagh Sardaran, Chungi No. 4, Dhoke Illahi Bakhsh, Gharibabad, Ratta Amral, Dhoke Ratta, Tipu Road, Raheemabad, Pirwadhai, Ganjmandi, Qasimabad, Tehmasbad and some other localities from where poor people were getting ‘sasti rotis.’
The District Food Department admitted all facts, saying that they are not providing subsidised ‘atta’ to mechanical ‘roti’ plants and ‘tandoors’ from July 5, 2013. It also admitted that there were more than 1,200 ‘tandoors’ and around 47 mechanical ‘roti’ plants in Rawalpindi where subsidised ‘atta’ bags were supplied. “But, 18 months back the higher authorities directed us to stop subsidised ‘atta’ supply to mechanical ‘roti’ plants and ‘tandoors’,” the department said.