The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Rice smuggling: YSR pulls up officials

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Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Rice smuggling: YSR pulls up officials

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Monday grilled officials for their laxity in dealing with rice smuggling, resulting a huge outgo of the preferred Sona Masoori variety to Tamil Nadu and other States when its price in the local market had gone sky high.

Dr. Reddy could hardly concealed his anger at the attitude of the officials as he took up the smuggling issue at a meeting here with Civil Supplies, Commercial Taxes, Vigilance & Enforcement, Transport, Police, and Anti-Corruption Bureau officials.

“In spite of my repeated instructions on this matter, nothing seems to be happening. There has to be an end to this. When the price of Sona Masoori has gone high, how can one allow smuggling?” He sought stringent action to check smuggling and make the preferred variety available to the people locally.

Check-posts system

Dubbing the check-posts system in the State “not up to the mark,” he wanted the system to be modernised with involvement of private parties on BOT basis, with the Commercial Taxes Department as the nodal agency and with staff deputed from all other connected departments.

He sought strengthening of flying squads working under joint collectors and frequent raids by the ACB on check-posts.

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Andhra Pradesh