FAISALABAD, Nov 13: All local millers have suspended the supply of flour to the wholesale dealers and the Ramazan bazaars.
As a result, retailers have increased the price of 20kg flour bag from Rs185 to Rs195.
A spokesman told newsmen on Wednesday that the corrupt officials of the food department were demanding bribe from the millers and in case of non-payment threatening them to stop wheat supply to their mills.
He claimed that food department officials were forcing the millers to lift wheat from far-flung areas instead of local godowns. This was in violation of the agreement between the millers and the government.
He alleged that substandard wheat, lying in the open, was being given to the flour millers for supply of flour to the Ramazan bazars at subsidized rates.
Meanwhile, District Coordination Officer Tahir Husain claimed that the distribution of flour at subsidized rates was going on smoothly in the district.
Presiding over a meeting, he said that more than 240,222 bags of 20 kg would be sold during Ramazan throughout the district at the rate of Rs160 per bag. So far 51,000 bags had been sold out in the district under the Ramazan package.
Food department deputy director informed the meeting that the Punjab government had planned to sell 150,478 bags in Faisalabad city; 78,938 bags in urban areas of other tehsils and 10,812 bags in the big towns having population of 5,000 people on subsidized rates.
For the purpose, 335 sale points had been set up throughout the district.
Subsidized power: University of Agriculture vice-chancellor Prof Dr Riaz Husain Qureshi has said electricity to the growers should be provided at subsidized rates for bringing about green revolution in the country.
Talking to a Fesco team headed by its chief executive Ijaz Ali Khan here on Wednesday, the vice-chancellor said farmers had been facing serious financial burden due to high electricity tariff and prices of pesticides, fertilizers and other agricultural inputs.
These factors were main hurdles in the way of putting the agrarian economy on path to progress and modernization.
He said the government should also give incentives to the farming community so that the country could meet the challenges of World Trade Organization.
Prof Qureshi said a large portion of budget of the research institutions was being spent on utility bills and other non-productive activities resulting in financial problems for the scientists.
He said the government should pay special attention to provide electricity and other inputs at reasonable rates to the growers.
Efforts should also be made for generating hydel power like in China and Egypt.
Mr Khan thanked the VC for resolving the issue of Wapda dues pending against the university for the last 17 years.
FRAUD CASE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered a case against a travel agent on fraud charges.
Accused Yasin received Rs1 million from eight people and issued them fake visas. The victims brought the matter into the notice of FIA authorities.
Further investigation is under way.