Wheat supply: Quota of closed mills being smuggled

Food department rejects charges of misappropriation.

FAISALABAD: The food department is regularly supplying wheat to flour mills in the city, but also to those mills which are lying closed, and this huge quota is picked by profiteers, who then smuggle the commodity to other provinces, say market people.

According to the market people, there are 45 flour mills throughout the district, but a dozen of them are not running these days, but the food department is constantly supplying wheat to all mills, allegedly in connivance with the swindlers.

Every mill is getting a wheat quota of 30 bags per day at subsidised rates, but the commodity supplied to the closed mills is being purchased by some hidden elements, who later smuggle it to other provinces, causing flour shortage in the district.

On paper, the food department claims that it is releasing wheat in accordance with the demand.



Commenting on the allegations, the food department ruled out any possibility of misappropriation in wheat quota, saying it was providing wheat to only those flour mills, which have got the permit.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2013.

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