PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF SINDH

FOOD DEPARTMENT

LIST OF STARRED ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR

FRIDAY, THE 19TH DECEMBER, 2025

136     *MS. BILQEES MUKHTAR:  

Will the Minister for Foodbe pleased to State:-

Is it fact that Sindh Food Authority has seized sub-standard cooking oil in Jacobabad through raid if so, whether food authority expands its circle by doing more raids as well as punishment specified?

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

It is submitted that with the approval of Director General, Sindh Food Authority, the operation team along with Deputy Director (Operations), Sindh Food Authority, Shikarpur & Jacobabad visited following oil depo's took action against loose oil distributors.

The team along with Deputy Director, discarded oil on the spot and imposed penalty on oil depo's for selling the banned item. The Sindh Food Authority has examined almost five hundred (500) oil depo's throughout the province and out of which fifty (50) oil depo's have been fined.The business and individual found in possession of sub-standard cooking oil have been subjected to strict penalties in accordance with the Sindh Food Authority Act. These penalties include hefty fines, temporary suspension of business license and in severe cases permanently closure of the establishments involved in such unlawful activities. Additionally, legal proceedings are initiated against the offenders to ensure accountability and deter violations, through-out the province.The Authority is also planning for establishment of food testing laboratory with the collaboration of Nutrition International in Larkana Division this year.

258     *MR. MUHAMMAD DANIYAL:  

Will the Minister for Food be pleased to State:-

District-wise Bardana provided to farmers/agriculturalists during 2018 to 2020 in Sindh including criteria for same? 

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

District wise Bardana provided to farmers / agriculturalists during 2018 to 2020 in Sindh is at Annexureplaced on the Table of the House.

Criteria For Providing Bardana: -

For every wheat crop, the procurement policy guidelines are approved by the Cabinet.
As per the Wheat Procurement Policy Guidelines Crop 2018 and Crop-2020,following was criteria for providing Bardana: -

(i)        Procurement of Wheat to be made from growers on first come first serve basis at the declared Wheat Procurement Centers (WPCs):

(ii)     Bardana to be supplied to growers free of cost on the production of Agriculture Pass Book or copy of Form 7 or certificate from the Chairman Union Council / Town Committee or Mukhtiarkar concerned and Partal Report.

(iii)   Wheat to be purchased from / bardana provided to local growers of respective district.

(iv)   Bardana to be issued to growers initially as hereunder: -

(a) In first 05 days only, small growers holding less than 16 acres land will be provided Bardana (100 Jute Bags OR 200 P.P. bags).

(b) The growers holding more than 30 acres land shall be provided maximum of 500 Jute Bags or 1000 PP bags.

(c) The growers holding more than 50 acres land shall be provided maximum of 1000 Jute Bags or 2000 PP bags at one time for above growers on return of filled bags more jute bags can be issued after 07 days.

356     *MR. MUHAMMAD DANIYAL:  

Will the Minister for Food be pleased to State:-

District-wise storage capacity of wheat in the Province?

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

District-wise storage Capacity of Food Department’s Provincial Reserve Centers (PRC’s/ Godownsis at Annexure placed on the Table of the House.

713     *MR. MUHAMMAD SHABBIR QURESHI:  

Will the Minister for Food be pleased to State:-

The number and size of storage facilities built under public-private partnership as to-date?

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

It is submitted that no storage facilities have been built under public-private partnership  to-date. However, the Food Department is in the process of building modern Bulk Storage Silos under the public-private partnership mode. The World Food Program (WFP) has conducted a preliminary feasibility study for setting up grain silos in Sindh.

The Food Department intends to appoint a private party to design, built, finance, operate, maintain and transfer Greenfield 300,000 metric tons (MT) multigrain silos in Karachi, and serve as a model transaction for future similar Greenfield grain silo infrastructure.  The Food Department has appointed International Finance Corporation (IFC) for public-private partnership (PPP) Transaction Advisory Services. IFC and the consultants have initiated the due diligence which will be followed by transaction structuring and competitive bidding of the project to select the private party for the development and operations of the project.

840     *MR. MUHAMMAD RASHID KHAN:  

Will the Minister for Food be pleased to State:-

Number of employees appointed in Food department from 2018 to 2023 furnish separately number of  contract/confirmed Employees with details? 

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

There are no any appointments made on contract/ regular basis during the period from 2018-2023 in Food Department, Government of Sindh (Secretariat Side). However, appointment under deceased quota and 5% disable quota has been made in Food Department, Government of Sindh. Further, a summary/ brief regarding appointment made under Deceased Quota and Through Sindh Public Service Commission is at Annexure-I & II Placed on the Table of the House.

1171  *DR. FOUZIA HAMEED:  

Will the Minister for Food be pleased to State:-

(a)   Is it fact that a scheme of Construction of new covered Godowns and allied facilities at Karachi Division with cost of Rs. 185.458 million is to be completed by June 2025;

(b)   If answer to (a) above is affirmative, detail of work completed and amount spent todate?

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

This ADP Scheme has been approved for construction of Covered Godowns with an estimated Cost of Rs.185.458 million. This Scheme would enhance additional covered storage space upto 40,000 Wheat Bags at LandhiGodowns, Karachi, the major consumption points of the Province.

Whereas, the date of completion of the same is likely to be completed by June, 2026 instead of June, 2025 due to less allocation of budget.

The details of scheme are as under:

Total estimated cost Rs.185.458 Million

Expenditure upto June, 2024 62.500 Million.

Current year allocation (2024-25)61.479 Million.

Current year expenditure 35.00 million.

Total expenditure till date 97.500 Million.

1172  *DR. FOUZIA HAMEED:  

Will the Minister for Food be pleased to State:-

a)        Is it a fact that action has been taken regarding the sale of substandard and unsafe food at public places in Karachi;

b)       If answer to (a) above is affirmative, the details of action taken during 2018-2023?

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

Yes, actions have been taken regarding the sale of substandard and unsafe food at public places in Karachi.

a.       Improvement Notices issued 64831.

b.      Premises sealed 1378.

c.       Discarded commodities:-

1.        Milk 92000 Litres.

2.        Spices 51000 Kgs.

3.        Chinese Salt 64000 Kgs.

4.        Savage Water 500 Acres.

d.      Fine and penalties Rs.85.977 (M).

e.       Legal Action and lodging of cases16 cases have been lodged.

f.       Mineral Water companies ban 17 companies have been banned.Year-wise details are at Annexure Placed on the Table of the House.

1463  *MR. SHEIKH ABDULLAH:  

Will the Minister for Food be pleased to State:-

What are the measures taken by the Sindh Food Authority to stop selling the third-grade food products made in slum areas?

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

The Sindh Food Authority enforces a comprehensive regulatory framework under the Sindh Food Authority Act, 2016 and its rules to control the sale of food products across the province, including slum areas. The Authority regulates food businesses through licensing, registration, inspection, sampling, and laboratory testing to verify compliance with prescribed safety and hygiene standards. Moreover, targeted enforcement actions are undertaken, whenever required to address specific issues and ensure the overall safety and quality of food.

1526  *MR. SHARIQ JAMAL:  

Will the Minister for Food be pleased to State:-

Whether the Food Department has the legal authority to procure, store rice, and determine its prices, if so the details thereof?

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

It is stated that the Food Department has no authority to procure store rice and its prices, as the subject matter dealt by the private sectors since 1980

1529  *MR. SHARIQ JAMAL:  

Will the Minister for Food be pleased to State:-

The district-wise number of procurement centers and cost of procurement per unit including wheat procurement target for the year 2025-26?

ANSWER

MAKHDOOM MEHBOOB ZAMAN, MINISTER FOR FOOD:-

It is stated that, as per the IMF agreement signed between the Government of Pakistan and the Provincial Governments, no wheat procurement was carried out during the year 2024-25. Regarding the crop year 2025-26, wheat sowing schedule to commence in the third week of October and continue until December, 2025. The matter of wheat procurement for 2025-26 is currently under discussion at the Federal and Provincial Levels.

The Government of Sindh has already informed the Federal Government of its intention to procure 1.000 MMT of wheat as strategic reserves. The cost per unit will be determined after the procurement of the specified quantity.

KARACHI:                                                                     G.M UMAR FAROOQ

DATED THE 18TH DECEMBER, 2025                             SECRETARY

  PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF SINDH