Telangana: Rs 21cr worth paddy missing from two mills
By Thirunagari Venkateswara Swamy
Shocking facts were revealed when State task force officials seized paddy being transported in five trucks while conducting inspections at two mills in Sultanabad in the district. A rice mill was allocated 80,966 quintals of grain purchased by the government in the Yasangi season of 2023-24. While 35,000 quintals of rice had to be returned to the government, only 10,000 quintals of rice was provided.
While the mill should have 64,922 quintals of grain, only 3,266 quintals of grain were available during the officials’ inspections. It was revealed that the mill management sold the paddy purchased by the government as there is a shortage of 61,653.57 quintals of paddy. Another mill, which was allocated 31,060 quintals of paddy during the Yasangi season, was supposed to provide 21,190 quintals of rice to the government; only 5,151 quintals of rice were provided.
While 23,500 quintals of paddy were supposed to be in the mill, the real scam was exposed when the officials checked and found only 10,880.14 quintals of paddy. In total, 72,533.71 quintals of paddy went missing in these two mills. Officials said that its value is around Rs 21,71,36,972.
According to sources, at almost every rice mill paddy is missing. There are manysuspicions about the re-allocation of large amounts of paddy this time to rice millers who did not convert the awarded paddy allotted in the Yasangi and Vanakalam seasons into rice. The officials, allegedly, colluded with millers and evaded the terms and conditions. Unless the scam is revealed by the raids of the task force officials, the local authorities might not bring this scam to light, which is proof that they colluded with millers.
It is reported that a rice miller who claims to be a community gentleman in Peddapalli district alone sold more than Rs 150 crore paddy. If the state-level civil supply officials conduct raids on the rice mills in Peddapalli district and conduct a thorough investigation, there is a possibility that the scam of Rs 1,000 crores will be exposed.
This article has been republished from The Hans India.