HARIPUR: Residents have complained about poor access to subsidised flour here despite an increase in the district’s wheat quota by the government.

They blamed the issue on the absence of a proper monitoring mechanism.

The residents told Dawn that the food department had failed to monitor all flour mills and points selling subsidised flour and thus, hampering the government’s efforts to provide flour to the people, especially in remote areas, at the price lower than market’s.

Officials said the government had increased Haripur’s daily wheat quota from 133 metric tons to 176 metric tons to address the flour crisis.

They said around 9,310 10kg bags of subsidised flour were supplied to 83 out of 180 village councils on a daily basis through 100 permanent sale points, including mobile units.

The officials said after the enhancement of wheat quota, the government increased the number of those sale points to 120.

They blame issue on lack of proper monitoring system

They said the sale points were to distribute 12,320 10kg flour bags daily.

However, the residents complained about the poor monitoring system for flour distribution.

They also alleged that subsidised flour was sold to Afghan nationals and shopkeepers in remote areas at higher rates.

Chairman of the Haripur tehsil council Samiullah Khan told Dawn that subsidised flour was reaching just 30 per cent of the deserving people.

He alleged “political favouritism” during the distribution of subsidised flour.

Mr Khan said uncertain circumstances had led to the flour stockpiling by the people, who could afford to purchase the staple item from the market.

He demanded strict monitoring of flour distribution besides an end to political intervention.

Chairman of another village council Ishtiaq Haider said the food department was responsible for the poor flour distribution system.

He claimed that some mills illegally sold subsidised flour to shopkeepers and Afghans.

Both deputy commissioner Fawad Khan and additional deputy commissioner (general) Imran Jadoon were not available for comments.

District food controller Shiraz Anwar told Dawn that though administrative officers conducted surprise visits to the subsidised flour’s sale points, both district administration and food department lacked proper monitoring mechanism.

“It’s not humanly possible for a few officers of the district administration and food department to check irregularities,” he said.

Mr Anwar said the department had cancelled the licences of 10 flour dealers and fined each of them Rs350,000 for violating SOPs.

He said the district required 40,000 10kg flour bags daily but the department could provide only 12,320 bags.

The official, however, said the shortfall was being met by the supply from Punjab.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2023