NEW DELHI: The Delhi government’s food and supplies department has been sitting on a fund of Rs 7 crore almost three years after it was allotted the same towards maintenance, an RTI query has exposed.
The amount was allotted to the department in three years for “restoration of offices and acquiring”. The Urban Development Ministry has allotted Rs 2.5 crore in 2015-16; Rs 3 crore in 2016-17 and Rs 2.5 crore till June in 2017.
With Diwali around the corner and food sales going to see a surge, the department, which has the onus of ascertaining if quality is maintained in the food being provided to public, is also facing a serious staff crunch.
A whopping 202 of the total 273 posts for food safety inspectors in the department are lying vacant. Of the rest, six officers are currently suspended from duty, reveals the RTI reply received by the non-governmental organisation Public Protection.
Of the nine districts in the capital, areas like Gokulpur, Adarsh Nagar and Rithala do not have a food safety inspectors assigned to them. “Staff crunch has been an issue for us and we have written to the government regarding it. With respect to the funds lying unutilised, we cannot say why it has not been,” said a senior official from the department, requesting anonymity.