Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Choudhary Zulfkar Ali today directed immediate revision of “Food Manual 1972” to ensure smooth functioning of department and to increase accountability in the employees.Speaking during a review meeting, the Minister said that government’s aim is to enhance accountability and transparency within the department, and the revised Food Manual by defining role of various officers would serve the purpose more effectively.While asking the concerned officers to prepare a balance sheet for the last five years, the Minister also demanded for revising job chart. The Minister also directed to formulate a proper mechanism with which all expenditures and information related different works could easily be traced. He added that expenditures under carriage, transportation, commission, and rent should be put under different heads and money spent under these heads should be maintained on monthly basis to transparency.
Besides, directing physical verification of stocks to be done by June every year, Mr. Zulfikar Ali asked to prepare a detailed report providing information regarding expenditure incurred during implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA).The Minister stressed upon the need for enhancing coordination in various departmental wings.Reiterating need to make necessary improvements in FCS&CA functioning, the Minister said that lessons should be learnt from the past. He said that the department should ensure deficiencies that are highlighted in CAG report are addressed at an earliest.The meeting was attended by Special Secretary FCS&CA, Nisar Ahmad Wani, Director FCS&CA, Kashmir Tasaduq Jeelani, Director FCS&CA Jammu G S Chib.