Political parties also staged protest rallies against the unavailability of flour in the district
Falak Sher
MARDAN
Majority of the people of Mardan complain that subsidized rate government flour has disappeared from the majority of the areas while some of the dealers are selling substandard government subsidized flour in the district.
It may be noted that the district food department has allotted quota to more than 560 dealers for the distribution of government subsidized flour on December 13, 2022. More than 22 flour mills in Mardan were bound to distribute subsidized flour to 560 dealers per day.
The district food department allegedly included the names of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers, relatives of the flourmill owners and relatives of senior officials. The sources added that the majority of the quota holders in Mardan leave their flour bags in the flour mills for Rs5000 to Rs6000, and later the mill owners allegedly sell the commodity in the market.
Some of the journalists also allegedly gained quotas in their name or their relative’s names in the district. Several individuals got three to five quotas under different names. A few days ago the Food Minister Mohammad Atif Khan transferred DFC Mardan on a complaint of large-scale wastage of government flour in the district.
Later on deputy commissioner, Abdur Rehman, issued a notification stating that all flour dealers of Mardan, who had been approved previously, are hereby de-notified. A committee was also notified, including the officials of the district administration and food department, to scrutinize new applications of flour dealers in the district within five days. Later on, on 3rd January the district administration issued another list of 234 dealers for government subsidized flour distribution.
The district administration also closed the fair price shop at flour mill gate. However, despite all these, the majority of the people complain that the government subsidized flour has disappeared from different areas.
The masses also complain that some of the dealers are selling substandard government subsidized flours. People complain that sands and other substandard materials are included in the government subsidized flour. Meanwhile, different political parties also staged protest rallies against the unavailability of flour in the district.
The masses of Mardan appealed to the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to take strict action in this connection and provide relief to the poor masses.
