Rs3b wheat scam unearthed in Sindh food dept

Corrupt officials filled 0.3m sacks with wasted grain and dirt to show procurement following 2022 floods

KARACHI:

The Sindh Food Department allegedly mixed 379,000 sacks of defective wheat with dirt following the devastating floods of 2022, resulting in a staggering loss of more than Rs3.022billion to the public treasury.

This damning revelation was made in a 205-page report compiled by the Chief Minister's Inspection Team and submitted to the provincial chief secretary. The report scrutinised wheat warehouses across 14 districts in the province.

According to the report, significant losses were incurred in various districts, with Jamshoro witnessing a loss of Rs93million, Dadu Rs569.3million, Ghotki Rs48.1million, Sukkur Rs16.2million, Khairpur Mirs Rs16.44million, Kashmore Rs3.8million, Jacobabad Rs131.4million, Larkana Rs15million, Qamber Shahdadkot Rs386.3million, Naushahro Feroze Rs19.8million, Sanghar Rs9.1million, Benazirabad Rs9.8 million, and Malir a staggering Rs1,075.4 million.

District food controllers have been held responsible for the mismanagement, with poor preservation during rains and inadequate storage arrangements cited as key factors in the report.

The report further highlighted the dire condition of wheat storage facilities, with the use of dirt and substandard wheat to fill sacks, and inadequate tarpaulins for covering. Moreover, a lack of effective monitoring systems within the Sindh Food Department was flagged as a major concern.

The report recommended the launch of criminal proceedings against officials found guilty of tampering with the wheat supply. It advocated for the recovery of funds from officers who had falsely claimed losses. However, Sindh Food Minister Jam Khan Shoro stated that the department had not yet received the report.

Published in The Express Tribune May 11^th, 2024.