LAHORE: To ensure smooth supply and avoid any shortage of flour, the Punjab government on Thursday linked the inter-provincial movement of wheat and flour with the issuance of E-permits only.

In another major step, the Secretary of Food Punjab suspended an official and ordered disciplinary action against three deputy directors of different districts on the charges of wrong/misreporting of flour prices

An order issued by the Director of Food Punjab said that the movement of wheat and wheat products to other provinces is strictly regulated through QR-coded E-permits, generated via the Food Department Inventory & Management System (FDIMS).

It said flour mills are authorized to either generate these permits autonomously or get them from the respective district food controller. Wheat permits for licensed wheat traders and arthies will be exclusively issued by the district food controller concerned, the order added.

It further said vehicles transporting wheat and wheat products under these E-permits must ensure their entries are logged at exit checkpoints established in bordering districts.

The deputy director of food in these bordering divisions is tasked with compiling and transmitting detailed reports of the daily outflow of wheat and wheat products to the food directorate, the order further stated.

Meanwhile, in another development, due to misreporting of data on flour prices, the Secretary of Food Punjab suspended Deputy Director Lahore and ordered disciplinary action against the deputy directors of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Multan.

While Deputy Director Sargodha has been posted as Deputy Director Lahore and Deputy Director Gujranwala has also been transferred, a notification issued in this regard said.

The notification suspending the Deputy Director Food Lahore said that his services are placed under suspension with immediate effect, in pursuance of Section 6 of the PEEDA Act, 2006 on account of inefficiency, negligence and wrong/misreporting of wheat and atta prices.

Secretary Food Punjab Moazzam Iqbal Sipra commenting on his order said that there was no room for incompetent and lazy officers in the department and all the officials and employees should mend their ways as nothing against merit is acceptable for the government.

“No officer or staff will be allowed to tarnish the reputation of the department,” warned the Secretary of Food Punjab.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024