FAISALABAD, May 9 An official report says about 40 per cent of the subsidy amount under the Punjab chief minister's Sasti Roti Scheme was spent on 'ghost' or bogus tandoors, mentioning 17 such outlets in three union councils of the city district, issued to the members of three families.

Sources said a probe into the issue was initiated after a complainant, Ashraf of Elahi Abad, alleged misappropriation of government funds and flour by EDO (community development) Mohammad Nawaz.

Commissioner Tahir Hussain appointed Additional Commissioner (revenue) as inquiry officer to probe into the issue who sought a reply from the accused EDO.

Responding to the query, the EDO claimed no person of the name mentioned as the complainant existed in that locality.

The officer also quizzed the union council No 236 secretary, Shifaqat Chatta, and block in charge Zahid, who confirmed that seven members, each of the three families had been allotted permits to run Sasti Roti Tandoors, who were involved in misappropriation of the subsidised flour as these tandoors did not exist.

The officer, after a through probe into the issue, found that 15 tandoors were allocated to the members of the three families while the permits for two other such outlets were issued against fake names.

The city district government had established 2,140 tandoors and the number was reduced to 1,343 after cancellation of 797 bogus outlets. The government had released Rs170 million as subsidy for such tandoors till June 30, 2009.

A report based on the findings of the probe says that about 40 per cent subsidy amount was spent on such bogus tandoors in the district.

It also mentions that some government functionaries appear to be not sincere with the cause of the chief minister's initiative.

It also reveals that the misappropriated subsidised flour was being sold on grocery shops at market rate and some of the tandoor owners were interrogated in this regard.

The report reads that an inspection of the record of three union councils showed that 15 tandoors were allocated to the members of three different families, while two outlets were issued against fake names.

The report says it appears that there is some connivance of all the officers engaged in the monitoring of the scheme to cover up the misappropriation.

It recommends a detailed survey to identify all ghost tandoors in the four districts of Faisalabad division, besides third-party audit of the use of subsidy amount.

Sources said the report had been forwarded to the provincial government for further action.