Subsidised wheat flour: USC shuts all special points in upper Hazara

MANSEHRA: The Utility Stores Corporation has closed down all 113 points established for the sale of subsidised wheat flour in the upper parts of the Hazara division.

“It is unfortunate that special points set up by the order of the prime minister for the sale of subsidised wheat flour to pass on a relief to poverty-stricken families have been closed down in the Hazara division,” Nawaz Khan, a former district councillor, told reporters here on Friday.

Flanked by a group of people from Dodial area, he said since the Punjab government imposed an on the transpiration of wheat to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the prices of flour jumped to an all-time high in the Hazara division.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his recent visit to Mansehra had announced the supply of the wheat flour to people of Hazara on the subsidised prices but Utility Stores Corporation closed down all those points,” he lamented.

The former district councillor said those sale points were established in Mansehra, Torghar, Battagram, Kolai-Palas, Upper Kohistan and Lower Kohistan districts. “The local millers who have signed a contract with the Utility Stores are accumulating money in garb of the wheat flour supply on the subsidised prices through trucks,” Nawaz said.

He demanded that the prime minister launch an inquiry to take to justice those involved in alleged corruption in the garb of wheat flour supplied to poverty-stricken families.

“The prime minister has increased the essential goods relief package to Rs8 billion money from Rs4 billion but the closure of special points established for the sale of subsidised wheat flour by the USC is a big question mark on its performance” Nawaz added.