The Hindu : Other States / Rajasthan News : Uproar over bungling in grain distribution

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 04, 2004

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Uproar over bungling in grain distribution

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, AUG. 3. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's charge that the foodgrain allocated by the Centre to Rajasthan under various schemes during the previous Congress regime was sold in the black market led to a turmoil in the Assembly during question hour today with the Congress members strongly protesting against the accusation.

The Congress MLAs, led by the former Minister, C.P. Joshi, alleged that the BJP was politicising the issue even when it had been found that most of the public distribution system dealers indulging in blackmarketing had been given licence by the BJP-led Government between 1990 and 1998. "The Congress can in no way be held responsible for the deeds of blackmarketeers,'' Mr. Joshi said.

The matter came up in the House when Shantilal Chaplot (BJP) sought to know the quantity of wheat allocated by the Central Government during 2001-02 to 2003-04 and the action taken against blackmarketeers. While the Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Kirorilal Meena, was reading out the written reply, the Treasury bench members accused the Congress of encouraging blackmarketing. Mr. Chaplot said over 85.65-lakh tonnes of foodgrain was allocated to Rajasthan during the period and lakhs of wheat bags were sold in black market. He said the swindling in Udaipur district alone was to the tune of 20,000 wheat bags and a criminal case about the scam was later registered in Mawli.

Mr. Meena informed the House that the first information reports had been registered in 119 scams involving failure to supply 84,831 tonnes of wheat to labourers as wages. These cases were among the 135 matters detected by special teams sent to 26 districts. Besides, cases have been registered against 39 PDS dealers on charges of irregularities in the supply of rations under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, Annapoorna Yojana, and the below poverty line and above poverty line schemes.

He affirmed that PDS machinery would be revamped and no guilty person would be spared.

The Congress MLAs created an uproar in the House by alleging that the Government was not taking action against the dealers affiliated to the BJP. While C.D. Deol charged that action had been launched against the selected people, Mohammed Mahir Azad pointed out that not a single FIR had been registered in Bharatpur district because all the dealers there were associated with the BJP.#Amid allegations and counter-allegations, Mr. Meena announced that the dealers functioning for the past 20 to 25 years would be removed ''at a single stroke'' to revamp the PDS.

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