FAISALABAD, Feb 26: The Punjab government's Sasta Atta Scheme has failed to achieve its desired results due to the poor performance of the elected representatives, Food department officials and the district administration.

Carrying out Punjab chief minister's instructions, the local Food department and district administration with the help of Zakat and Ushr department had launched Subsidized Atta Scheme and provided 20kg flour bag at reduced rates to some deserving families.

Apprehending plan's failure, the Food department refused to take the responsibility and asked the district administration and Zakat department to provide lists of the deserving people and complete the target through Nazims of Union Councils.

For this purpose, 100 deserving families were identified in every UC to provide two flour bags to them every month at Rs170 per bag through special coupons issued by the district government.

But due to an abrupt increase in flour prices as well as its acute shortage in urban and rural areas, the flour mills' owners refused to supply flour bags to the government on subsidized rates.

In consequence, the Sasta Atta Scheme proved an exercise in futility owing to the ill-conceived planning, indifferent attitude of Food department officials and the poor performance of Nazims and UCs' secretaries.

The local Revenue department in an SOS message communicated to all the six Tehsil Municipal Administrations in the district had made it clear that the scheme proved a failure due to negligence of UCs' secretaries.

It was observed in the letter that the Faisalabad district was far behind in its target, therefore, all UCs' secretaries had been directed to make all out efforts for the success of this scheme.