F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: First meeting of the provincial food department was held here at Chief Minister’s House Peshawar on Thursday with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur in the chair.
The chief minister was given a detailed presentation about the mandate of the department, it’s administrative affairs, procurement and supply of wheat, available wheat stock and different matters related to Food Safety and Halal Food Authority. Provincial minister for food Zahir Shah Toru, Additional Chief Secretary P&D Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan, Secretary Food Zareef-ul-Maani, Secretary Finance Amir Sultan Tareen, Secretary Health Mahmood Aslam and other relevant officials attended the meeting.
The chief minister on this occasion, directed the concerned quarters to devise a detailed wheat procurement plan for the next season and submit the same for the approval of provincial cabinet further directing them to ensure wheat quality as well as transparency in the entire procurement process. Moreover, he directed them to ensure implementation of the provincial government’s decision to reduce the price of wheat bread (roti) adding that if Tandoor owners compliance this order, the matter regarding providing them relief would also be considered seriously.
He also ordered establishment of Model Bazars and Food Streets at all divisional headquarters of the province so that citizens can buy required items on government’s fixed rates and they do not have to face any problem or artificial inflation in this regard. He also directed them not to compromise on the quality of food items at any cost.
In order to ensure quality, the rate of fines should be increased substantially and classification of hotels and restaurants be carried out to impose fines, he directed and added that the fines should be increased in accordance with the size of business; the bigger the business the greater the fine; and necessary amendments be proposed in the relevant legal framework for this purpose.
He also directed the authorities concerned to have a vigilant eye on the import of adulterated milk and to increase numbers of mobile food testing laboratories adding that products of the factories producing defective food items should be tested by a certified laboratory. He directed all the relevant departments to install CCTV Cameras on their check posts adding that Finance department would provide required funds for this purpose.
