Black marketers caught selling PDS rice to govt

Nagarkarnool: The State government’s prestigious scheme of supplying rice at one rupee per a kilogram to the poor people through Ration shops is being misused by some fraudsters, who are selling the same PDS rice to Civil Supplies Department.

On receipt of the bizarre information from the Enforcement Vigilance wing about the sale of recycled rice sale, Civil Supplies Commissioner C V Anand ordered special raids on godowns and the millers selling PDS rice to government were caught red handed. One godown in-charge was removed from service immediately. The Commissioner took a serious note and ordered severe action against the erring millers involved in the fraud. He also ordered filing of criminal cases against two rice millers from Nagarkurnool district involved in the illegal sale of PDS rice and blacklisted the mills. Purchase of State pool rice from Nagarkurnool mills has been suspended.

Civil Supplies Commissioner warned the State Rice Millers Association for not keeping a check on the millers and threatened to stop milling charges and other payments to such millers. He asked when he was working with mutual trust, why the millers are violating the rules and going back to old habits? Criminal cases will be booked against the millers and the mills will be sealed.

As there was shortage of stock, the government was purchasing six lakh metric tons of raw rice for PDS and 1.5 lakh metric tons of fine rice to government hostels mid-day meal and social welfare schemes from millers. By inviting tenders, the government purchased rice from millers. Under the guidance of the Commissioner, enforcement and technical team was conducting special raids on godowns on confidential manner. In these raids, irregularities were noticed in Nagarkurnool and Sircilla districts. In Sircilla, some of the rice millers were submitting lower quality of rice to the government.

While conducting raids, the search team found that rice stored in Mahbubnagar district, Jadcherla CWC godown, the rice was taken from two mills of Nagarkurnool district. The millers are purchasing rice the ration shops and recycling and again selling to the government. As many as 1,080 (50 kg) of PDS rice bags were found and its worth was Rs 15 lakh. Sriramulu of Srinivasa Rice Mill, Mallesh of Venkateswara Rice Mill from Nagarkurnool were involved in this illegal sale.

In each lorry (AKC) 400 t0 500 recycled rice bags were mixed up every time so that nobody can recognise it. As many as 1080 recycled rice bags were mixed up in AKC numbers 131, 136, 137, 149, 163, 165. Special checks would be conducted at the CWC, SWC godowns where Civil Supplies Department stocks are stored. Commissioner warned the rice millers who are attempting to malpractice and will be booked under PD Act, criminal cases.