AP Govt Cracks Down on Ration Rice Smuggling: 1,066 Cases Filed, 729 Arrests
By Laxmi Paranthi
A total of 1,066 cases have been filed against ration rice fraud, resulting in the arrest of 729 persons and seizure of 102 vehicles in the last six months of the present alliance government in the state.
Additionally, the authorities have confiscated 62,000 metric tonnes of rice valued at approximately Rs 240 crore, stated civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar told the media on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the minister held a review meeting with officials from the north Andhra region. He pointed out that the government has sought a Crime Branch -CID investigation into the detection of ration rice in a ship in Kakinada Port.
He said, “Inspections have been conducted, leading to filing of numerous cases against rule violators. Specifically, on June 28, as many as 13 godowns in Kakinada were raided and 51 lakh metric tonnes of rice seized.”
In terms of grain procurement for this Kharif season, the minister said, “We have purchased 10.59 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from 1.51 lakh farmers so far, with a target of procurement of 37 lakh metric tonnes. Payments to farmers are being processed swiftly with Rs 2,331 crore having been disbursed. Most of the payments were made within 24 hours of the procurement.
The minister alleged that the previous government had colluded with the rice smuggling and export mafia via a “green channel.”
At the review meeting with officials from north Andhra, the minister emphasized the need to eliminate middlemen from the grain purchasing process and to provide comprehensive support to farmers.The meeting, held at the Collectorate, was attended by joint collectors and representatives from various departments such as civil supplies, legal metrology, vigilance and agriculture. They discussed strategies to ensure that the paddy procurement process is conducted smoothly and transparently.
The minister proposed establishing a control room at the district level and forming a committee comprising both farmers and officials. Officials must strictly adhere to procurement targets and act responsibly, he said and warned officials against the involvement of middlemen.He noted that adequate technical staff and resources such as gunny bags and storage facilities must be available to facilitate effective procurement.Manohar raised concern over illegal sale of ration rice intended for public distribution and called for increased vigilance. He recommended forming a joint investigation team comprising police, revenue, civil supply, legal metrology, and vigilance officers to tackle this issue.
The minister asked the officials to register cases against the errant under Section 6A and effectively apply the PD Act. He advised them to prioritize the Deepam-2 scheme and said there should be no delay in gas bookings or deliveries. Any agency found collecting cash during these processes would face blacklisting, he said.
This article has been republished from The Deccan Chronicle