Govt eyes comprehensive strategy to monitor sugar mills

• Sugar mills' self-monitoring of production and expenditure has failed, say sources
• Now, the federal government has prepared a new monitoring plan, they say
• Modern monitoring system for sugar mills will cost around Rs350 million, per sources

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to address the recurring sugar crisis in the country, the federal government has decided to set up a comprehensive system of monitoring sugar production, sales, and taxes in 80 sugar mills.

Sugar mills' self-monitoring of production and expenditure has failed because of which the federal government has prepared a new monitoring plan, sources said.

Read more: Govt decides to expedite installation of cameras in sugar mills

The Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) had issued Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs) on September 21, 2020, for the video-surveillance system in sugar mills, however, there has been no headway in this regard.

The modern monitoring system for the sugar mills will cost around Rs350 million, while the federal cabinet will have the final say in the matter, sources said.

Sources added that a state-of-the-art video surveillance system would be set up in sugar mills with the central monitoring and control room set up at the FBR.

Read more: FBR’s e-surveillance faces a technical glitch amid cane crushing season

Per sources, the installation of the system will be exempted from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority rules.