Amidst recent scrutiny, the Punjab prisons department has come under fire for alleged irregularities in the procurement of food and drink items for prisoners' langar, raising concerns of financial mismanagement and excessive spending.
Records from the financial year 2022 revealed significant discrepancies in the purchasing practices, resulting in substantial losses to the government exchequer. It was noted that the department procured essential items such as dal, rice, flour, and cooking oil at inflated prices, ignoring competitive bids from lower-cost contractors, as stipulated by Punjab's procurement rules.
Reports highlighted specific instances where rice worth Rs 30.13 million and pulses valued at Rs 10.7 million were purchased at prices considerably higher than market rates. Furthermore, flour and cooking oil, amounting to Rs 1.3 million, were procured at elevated costs for District Jail Jhang.
The Auditor General's team, after examining these transactions, strongly recommended corrective action by the conclusion of 2022, stressing the identification and retrieval of the excessive funds for reintegration into the state's treasury.
In response to these allegations, the jail authorities submitted clarifications during the Departmental Accounts Committee meeting, providing insights and explanations concerning the raised objections. All pertinent records were presented for review, awaiting a final decision by the committee.
The committee's deliberations are crucial as they will determine the course of action to address the flagged irregularities and ensure accountability within the prisons department.
