Civil Supplies Department Plagued by Widespread Corruption

Wanaparthy:

In Wanaparthy district, the Civil Supplies Department is facing serious allegations of corruption and mismanagement related to rice stocks. Officials are accused of not properly overseeing the allocation of government-procured rice to millers, which has led to significant discrepancies and illegal activities.

Mehran Rice Mill:

The Mehran Rice Mill in Ketepalli village, still under construction, received 191 ACK of paddy during the last Kharif and Rabi seasons. Despite the mill’s incomplete status, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) reportedly received 43 ACKs of rice from this miller.

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Unanswered Questions:

There are questions about how the rice reached FCI when the mill is not fully operational. Given its milling capacity of 2 ACK of rice per day, the mill should have processed 110 ACKs by now. However, only 42 ACKs, which is just 22% of the target, have been processed by MehroonAgro Industries.

Officials’ Awareness:

Concerns have been raised about whether officials were aware of the mill’s operational status. Previous reports highlighted financial irregularities, including a mill in Chinnambai mandal leased for 12 lakhs and another in Panagal mandal purchased for four and a half crores. Allegations suggest favoritism and routine allocation of grains to select millers.

Further Accusations:

Accusations also include millers transferring grain from other mills and rice being sent directly to warehouses from allegedly non-functional mills. Reports indicate that government-allocated rice is being sold, and cheaper rice from outside sources is being moved to warehouses.

Inspections and Proposals:

Inspections revealed discrepancies in grain stocks at several mills, with officials allegedly accepting bribes to pass substandard rice. Meanwhile, proposals have been sent to higher officials to allow rice movement to Shadnagar and Balanagar warehouses, even though there is available space in Malayapalli, Madanapuram, and Sooguru. There are claims that these permissions facilitate illegal activities.

Immediate Attention Needed:

The situation demands immediate attention from the district collector, Adarsh Surabhi, to ensure the integrity of the rice supply chain and prevent further losses.

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