OKARA, Feb 1: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has traced an embezzlement of Rs114 million in the livestock department’s pilot project to revamp civil veterinary dispensaries (CVDs) in this district and registered a case against seven officials of the ancillary departments.

Local livestock department’s office superintendent Muhammad Ashraf Bhatti, cashier-cum-clerk Abbas Shah and EDO finance office’s accountant Ghazanfar Ali Mirza have been arrested on a complaint lodged by the Lahore region’s ACE director, accusing them of embezzling Rs 114,219,433. The ACE Okara Circle deputy director has been appointed inquiry officer.

The authorities concerned are, however, reluctant to disclose the names of the remaining accomplices.

The Punjab government released heavy grants to the livestock department to develop and revamp CVDs under the programme ‘Support Services for Livestock Farmers.’

Four districts of the province, Okara, Sahiwal, Jhang and Muzaffargarh, were declared model districts to launch the pilot project for appointment of veterinary doctors and staffers on lucrative packages on contract basis. — Correspondent