Strict monitoring of flour mills ordered

LAHORE:Punjab Senior & Food Minister 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 so that the official release of wheat could not go to provinces other than Punjab and all the subsidised flour should be provided in the market.

Presiding over a video link meeting of all the district food officers and deputy directors from across Punjab, here Tuesday, Senior Minister 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 notice of the situation and action would be taken on complaints. Aleem Khan said the Punjab government was giving huge subsidy of billions of rupees for low price flour which should directly benefit the people. Prime Minister Imran Khan is personally aware of the situation of wheat and flour in Punjab and no negligence will be tolerated in this regard. He said that he was getting reports on subsidised flour through his private teams while special branch and other agencies were also giving their feedback in this 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 that he would not allow anybody to purchase the atta of the Punjab government and sell the same flour at high prices in other provinces.

The minister said that low price flour should not be transported directly from any other flour mill or through an agent for selling in other provinces and if it goes out, its responsibility will fall on the food department and local administration. Aleem Khan pointed out that 90 percent subsidised flour was available in the market and the remaining 10 percent should be ensured and immediate action be taken where there was any complaint.