Black marketers caught selling PDS Rice

Hyderabad, Jan 5 (INN): Telangana Government's prestigious scheme of supplying rice at Rs. 1 to the poor people through Ration Shops is taken advantage by some fraudsters. It was revealed during a special drive that the black marketers are selling PDS rice to Civil Supplies Department.

On receiving information from Enforcement Vigilance wing about the sale of recycled rice sale Commissioner for Civil Supplies C.V. Anand took immediate action. By conducting special raids on godowns the millers selling PDS rice to government were caught red handed. On godown incharge is removed from the services.

The Commissioner made a serious note on this issue. He took serious action against the millers involved in this fraud. He ordered to book criminal case against the two rice millers from Nagarkurnool district involved in the illegal sale of PDS rice and to black list the mills. Purchase of state pool rice from Nagarkurnool mills is been suspended. He warned the State Rice Millers Association for not keeping check on their millers and threatened to stop milling charges and other payments to such millers.

Anand said that when working with mutual trust basis, why the millers are violating the rules and going back to old habits. Criminal cases be booked and the mills will be sealed.

As there is shortage of stock, government is purchasing 6 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 government purchased rice from millers.

Under the guidance of the Commissioner, Enforcement Wing and technical team is conducting special raids on godowns on very high confidential manner. In these raids irregularities were noticed in Nagarkurnool and Sircilla districts. In Sircilla some of the rice millers are submitting quality less rice to government.

While conducting raids, the search team found that rice stored in Mahaboobnagar district, Jadcherla CWC godown, the rice was from two mills of Nagarkurnool district. The rice was PDS, which was taken from ration shops and recycled and again sold to government.

As many as 1080 (50 kgs) bags of PDS rice was found and it's cost is Rs. 15 laksh. Sriramulu of Srinivasa Rice Mill, Mallesh of Venkateswara Rice Mill from Nagarkurnool were involved in this illegal sale.

In each lorry (AKC) some recycled rice bags were mixed up so that nobody can recognize it. There are up to 400 to 500 bags in each lorry. 1080 bags containing PDS recycled rice were mixed up in AKC numbers 131, 136, 137, 149, 163, 165.

Commissioner ordered the two rice millers to appear before him at his office, but they did not turn up. After checking the electricity bills of the mills it came to know that they were not milling the rice. The question is raised that, from where this rice is coming from, and he initiated to make full investigation in this matter, commissioner said.

After the implementation of ePos system, transporting of PDS rice to black market has become impossible. So, keeping this in mind, millers started purchasing rice in advance from the ration shops and stocked. Officials recognized that after recycling the PDS rice millers delivered to government.

Inferior quality Fine Rice in Sircilla :

As per the orders from the Commissioner, Enforcement and Technical Team conducted raids. It came to notice that millers are delivering inferior quality fine rice to government. As per rules not more than 10% broken rice should not be accepted. After conducting special checking, it was found that broken rice is more than 35%. Commissioner called upon the millers and gave strong warning. If this same scenario is repeated once again they will be black listed. Inferior rice should be replaced with quality fine rice immediately.

Special checks would be conducted at the CWC, SWC godowns where Civil Supplies Department stocks are stored. The Commissioner warned rice millers attempting malpractice will be booked under PD Act, criminal cases and sent them to jail.