KTR smells Rs 1,000-cr rice scam by Congress govt

Hyderabad: The BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Sunday accused Congress that there was a Rs 1,000 crore paddy lifting and rice procurement scam in the state, and demanded the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy to clear themselves of the allegations.

Rama Rao also dared the government to initiate a judicial probe with a sitting judge in the alleged scam. Addressing a press conference here, Rama Rao alleged that the policy of the Congress party was ‘Galli mein looto… Delhi mein baanto’.

Presenting some documents, Rao explained that the civil supplies department awarded tenders to four companies to lift paddy from rice millers in the state. Both the CM and the Minister established a committee, issued guidelines, and called for tenders all on January 25 itself. He alleged that the Congress was looting government funds in the name of global tenders for 35 lakh metric tons of paddy. He pointed out that local rice millers were ready to purchase the same paddy for Rs 2,100 rupees per quintal, but the Congress government sold it at prices ranging from Rs 1,885 to Rs 2,007 per quintal to companies like Kendriya Bhandar, LG Industries, Hindustan Company, and NACAF, who secured the tenders by quoting lower rates.

Rao further accused these four companies of blackmailing local rice millers, demanding Rs 2,230 per quintal, which is Rs 200 more than their tendered rates, leading to a Rs 800 crore scam.

The BRS leader demanded that the government release a white paper detailing how much paddy had been lifted and address the allegations of money collection from millers instead of procuring paddy.