CMR Rice Allocation: Rs 20cr worth rice missing due to alleged corruption in Civil Supplied dept

Telangana: Allegations of corruption within the Civil Supplies Department in Gadwal have emerged as a significant hurdle in the allocation and recovery of CMR rice. Reports indicate that unauthorised allocations of government rice to ineligible individuals has resulted in the misappropriation of rice worth approximately Rs 20 crores.

It may be recalled that recentlya case implicated a high-ranking district-level officer and a network involving police officials in a corruption scandal. Criminal cases have been registered against a department officer and two other staff members, highlighting the depth of the issue.

There have also been allegations of large-scale irregularities in the allotment of grain collected by the government during the Yasangi season. These allegations suggest that corruption is pervasive within the department, affecting the proper distribution of essential supplies. During the Yasangi season of 2023-24, the district collected 3,000 metric tonnes of grain, supplemented by an additional 15,000 metric tonnes from Wanaparthy and Medak districts. This combined total of 18,000 metric tonnes was allocated to seven rice mills in the region.

However, several of these rice mills had previously defaulted on their obligations to deliver rice to the government within the stipulated time, incurring fines and being designated as defaulters. Despite this, a rice mill in KT Doddi Mandal, which had not paid its fines, was recently allotted grain, allegedly facilitated by a key official in the Civil Supplies Department.

The Rs 20 crore grain case revolves around the allocation of 19,000 metric tonnes of grain collected during the 2021-22 Yasangi season to 55 rice mills, including 50 regular and 5 boiled rice mills. Strong allegations have been made against a key official in the Civil Supplies Department, who recently retired, suggesting that he colluded with some rice millers to engage in massive corruption.

This scandal has caused significant uproar across the state, with indications that high-ranking officials might also be involved, potentially shielding themselves from repercussions. The improper allocation led to the disappearance of grain worth Rs20 crores, prompting the registration of cases against the involved mills. Despite the gravity of the situation, not a single rupee has been recovered in the three years since the incident, raising serious concerns about accountability and enforcement.

This article has been republished from The HansIndia