The Hindu : Other States / Uttar Pradesh News : U.P. Govt. may go for CBI probe into foodgrain scam

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Saturday, Dec 25, 2004

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Other States - Uttar Pradesh

U.P. Govt. may go for CBI probe into foodgrain scam

LUCKNOW, DEC. 24. Amid mounting political pressure, the Uttar Pradesh government is "seriously considering" a CBI inquiry into the multi-crore rupees foodgrain scam in the State.

Senior Home department sources said here today that the government was planning to hand over the case to the investigation agency following detection of large scale irregularities in distribution of foodgrains for the past couple of years in several districts of state. A final decision about the CBI probe is expected within a day or two, they added.

The CPI had lodged a formal complaint with the Governor, T.V. Rajeswar, on the scam and now it has been joined by Congress and BJP.

CPI leaders claimed more than 40 senior State officials were involved in the scam detected in as many districts of the State. The PDS foodgrain was also allegedly being smuggled to nearby Nepal and Bangladesh. They also claim that the foodgrain scam might be bigger than the fodder scam of Bihar.

According to initial estimates, foodgrain worth Rs 15,000 crore could have been diverted from the `Antyodaya Yojana' over the last five years.

Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has already suspended a district magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri alongwith several other officials of the food department in connection with the scam.

Rural Development Minister Rajpal Tyagi had sent a directive to all DMs to register FIRs whenever they get a whiff of the scam. The government is aware of the issue and there is nothing to hide. "We are looking into the matter," he said.

Official sources said the eastern Basti district alone reported sale of, 7,135 quintals of rice and wheat in the black market this year. The rip-off came to light after 70 truckloads of rice meant for distribution among labourers were lifted from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in March.

A probe was ordered after the FCI demanded payment for the grain and a project director refused to verify the stock register. It was detected that a section of officers from the Regional Food controller's office and the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) had connived to sell the crop in the black market. The Food Controller's office is responsible for procuring the foodgrain, while the DRDA is in charge of distribution. CPI state secretary Ashok Mishra, whose party is supporting the Mulayam Singh Yadav government, claimed that foodgrins worth Rs 10,000 crore has been sold in just five districts Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Jhansi, Varanasi and Basti.

UNI

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U.P. Govt. may go for CBI probe into foodgrain scam