NAB obtains data about free flour scheme

Graft buster looks into allegation of Rs20b corruption

LAHORE:

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) stepped up its inquiry into the alleged corruption of Rs20 billion in Punjab's free flour scheme and obtained crucial records from various entities, sources said on Friday.

NAB has acquired records from Flour mills, the offices of the relevant deputy commissioners, the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), and the food department, they said.

“All of them are central to the investigation into the free flour scheme in Punjab,” a source said. “With the receipt of these records, NAB's investigative team has expedited the inquiry,” the source added.

Citing NAB sources, Express News reported that the agency aimed at identifying any discrepancies within the free flour scheme. The ongoing inquiry has already exposed both technical and administrative lapses within the scheme.

“One of the critical issues uncovered so far is the non-reconciliation of data between the district administration and flour mills, leading to the discovery of over 5 million missing flour bags,” the source said.

However, the inquiry is facing challenges due to the lack of accurate and comprehensive data. Furthermore, NAB has obtained records detailing the number and distribution of wheat and flour bags issued to the various flour mills.

The auditor general has provided these essential records to NAB, prompting the bureau to conduct random verification of individuals who have received free flour.

To facilitate this process, NAB will use the free flour distribution data from the PITB to select free flour recipients, who will then receive SMS notifications for verification.