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Rice mafia top agenda of Cabinet meet today
Naidu, Pawan discuss ways to crack whip on offenders during luncheon
Vijayawada: The Government of Andhra Pradesh is gearing up to take some crucial decisions regarding the measures to be taken to stop the illegal export of rice from the Kakinada port and crack the whip on the rice mafia. The cabinet, which is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, is expected to take these decisions.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting with Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad, DGP Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, Intelligence Additional Director-General Mahesh Chandra Ladda, Transport, Civil Supplies and Maritime Board officials on Monday to discuss the measures needed to be taken to end the mafia rule. It was felt that smuggling of rice should be treated as organised crime and stringent action should be taken under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Action on warehouse owners is also being considered.
In a related development, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan had a luncheon meeting with Naidu and among the main issues that came up for discussion was how the Kakinada port has been turned into a smuggling den by the previous government. Pawan narrated his experiences and how attempts to prevent him from going there were made. He informed Naidu about his orders to seize the ‘Stella’ ship that was ready to sail with smuggled rice bags.
When Pawan drew the attention of Naidu to this issue, the CM said that there was no question of sparing anyone and said that will be discussed in the cabinet on Tuesday. It is learnt that the government may create a task force to keep a hawk eye on smuggling of rice and also constitute a cabinet sub committee on how public money was looted by smuggling rice during the previous regime.
As a first step, the DGP informed Naidu that an IPS officer of the rank of IG or DIG level would be appointed as Chief Security Officer at Kakinada port.
He will be assisted by a team of senior officers. Earlier during the day, Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar met the DGP and Intelligence chief and discussed the issue.
On the other hand, YSRCP leaders Perni Nani and Botsa Satyanarayana alleged that a relative of Finance Minister Pyavula Keshav was also involved in rice smuggling. Reacting to this, Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar asked them to give the details. Unlike the previous government, this government does not show favouritism, he said.
