Govt clueless as wheat flour crisis continues unabated

LAHORE: The government, even after facing back-to-back grain crises, is at a total loss on how to plug the pilferage of highly subsidised wheat/products, as provincial food authority is sacking out on the job.

Despite tall claims by the central and provincial governments, wheat flour crisis continues to worsen. Not only wheat flour is being black-marketed, but its quality is also being badly compromised to make illegal millions by fleecing consumers.

Yes, it is a bitter truth that the provincial government has failed to curb black-marketing of wheat and flour. It seems that food department is acting as a silent spectator and not performing its duties diligently.

The senior food minister seems to have lost his interest and is skipping the departmental meetings for about a month. In the meantime, there are serious complaints of malpractice by flourmills.

That was why administration has deputed staff at flourmills for monitoring supply chain, said official sources.

Many flourmills are accused of making bogus transaction of sales besides false reporting of dispatches to market and are instead selling a major chunk of grinding wheat in black market allegedly.

The biggest casualty of wheat subsidy programme being touted by the provincial government has been the quality of flour as optionless masses are forced to buy smelly, high-moisture, and unwholesome product.

Very few flour mills are marketing wheat flour that is at par with the ratio recommended by the government. Even the husk of other grains including rice is being ground along with wheat to fool consumers and government department. Such deplorable practices need to be dealt with iron hand, said sources.

Moreover, many flourmillers have allegedly been involved in selling wheat and its byproducts to other provinces, especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at high prices instead of selling it at designated/announced points in the province. It is claimed that flourmills have set Rs1000/20kg flour bag ex-mill rate for this purpose against the government notified rate of Rs860. There seems to be a tacit approval of Punjab food department to the selling flour made from subsidised wheat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as there is no solid check on the outflow of the quantum of wheat and its products from the province, the sources added.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the senior food minister claimed the Punjab government was fully aware of the situation and a number of actions were being taken to address the crisis. “There are certain matters like import and disbursement of that wheat in which the federal government has to act; however Punjab government is also in the loop,” he added.

He said the senior food minister had held a number of meetings as well and the administration was also taking steps in accordance with the directions given to them.

“The provincial food department is also actively working on it and flourmills are being strictly monitored,” the spokesperson added. He said thorough investigation was underway to find out and eliminate the elements that have given rise to this crisis. “Hopefully. the situation will improve sooner than later,” the spokesperson said.

Keeping in view the alleged pilferage in wheat supply chain, the administration in the provincial metropolis (Lahore) has deputed revenue staff at dozens of flourmills to monitor wheat supply to mills and subsequent flour dispatches to the market.

As per the order of the administration, committees have been formulated to monitor flourmills vis-à-vis wheat release as per quota, grinding as per notified ratio, transportation of flour to the dealers and thereafter sale of flour to retailers in open markets as per notified rates.

According to terms of reference ToRs, these committees will keep tabs on flourmills to ensure grinding of released wheat as per notified ratio, besides verifying grinding through electricity consumption at each flourmill. Moreover, they will ensure transportation of flour to the dealers as detailed on the web portal in addition to ensuring sale of flour to retailers from dealers at notified rates. These bodies will be responsible to share daily monitoring report with the concerned authorities.