Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Sasti Roti Scheme will continue and effective measures are being taken for further streamlining the system so that deserving persons could fully benefit from this project. He said that an amount of Rs 8 billion was being allocated next year for Sasti Roti Scheme.
He directed that mohallah committees should be set up within a month for the implementation of Sasti Roti Scheme in an effective manner while an independent and autonomous authority would be established within a week for this purpose. He also directed to set up mechanical tandoors in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Faisalabad by June 15.
Shahbaz was presiding over a high level meeting here Wednesday for reviewing Sasti Roti Scheme and improvement of this system. Members National Assembly Hanif Abbasi, Khurram Dastagir, Mian Marghoob, Member Provincial Assembly, Chaudhry Shahbaz Ahmed, Chairman Taskforce Waheed Alam, Co-ordinator Rao Tahir Musharraf, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Commerce & Investment, Secretary Food, Commissioner Lahore as well as concerned officers were present on the occasion.
Asad Umar, a senior officer of Punjab govt gave a detailed presentation for further improvement of Sasti Roti Scheme. The Chief Minister said that service of the poor was the mission of the government, and no effort would be spared in this regard.
He said that Punjab government had initiated Sasti Roti Project for the poor first time in the history of the country, and it was being implemented successfully. He said that tandoors of Sasti Roti had been established in poor localities, katchi abadies, industrial areas, hospitals, railway stations and bus stands. He said that 12 thousand tandoors were functioning at present in the province for supply of Sasti Roti and a strategy was being evolved for doubling this number so that maximum number of deserving persons could benefit from this scheme. He appreciated the role of administration in launching and success of the scheme.
However, he said, there was a need for induction of civil society, philanthropists, chambers of commerce and industry, teachers, retired government officers, social workers and public-spirited persons in this programme. He said that mohallah committees, comprising such persons would be fully activated within a month throughout the province. Shahbaz further said that under Sasti Roti Scheme, flour was being supplied to only those tandoors where only roti or pulse or vegetable curry was served with roti.
He said that Sasti Roti Scheme was being further organised and transport system for the supply of sasta atta to tandoors was also being outsourced so that tandoor owners do not face any difficulty in obtaining atta. He directed that mechanical tandoors should be established in major cities of the province by June 15.
He further directed that a policy should be evolved for providing incentives to tandoor owners. He directed Member National Assembly and the Chairman-Designate of Sasti Roti Authority Hanif Abbasi to ensure complete implementation of the policy regarding streamlining the system of supply of Sasti Roti. He also appreciated the presentation given by Asad Umar for further improvement of Sasti Roti Scheme.
Earlier, Member National Assembly Hanif Abbasi informed the meeting about the measures taken for the supply of Sasti Roti in the province, whereas Chairman Taskforce Waheed Alam and Co-ordinator Rao Tahir Musharraf gave their proposals regarding the scheme.