Supply of sub-standard rice through ration shops to poor has emerged as a major headache for Shivraj Singh Chouhan Government in Madhya Pradesh as a State Government order issued to district collectors has suggested that 73,000 metric tonnes rice failed the tests in 28 districts.

Terming it a big scam, MPCC chief Kamal Nath on Friday demanded that all ration distributed in the Public Distribution System should be probed into.

Meanwhile, a letter written to all the district collectors by Dept of Food and Civil Supplies leaked to the media suggests that around 73,540 metric tonnes of rice was found to be below standards in the inspection carried out by Food and Civil Supplies Corporation.

Taking prompt action, the State Government has stopped distribution of rice under PDS and has asked the collectors to return the below par rice to millers and ensure deposit of quality grain in next one week so that the PDS supplies could be resumed.

A Centre’s report had exposed that tests confirmed that PDS ration shops distributed inferior rice among the poor in Mandla and Balaghat districts and the rice was not fit for ‘human consumption’.

The politics continued to heat up on the issue. MPCC president Kamal Nath on Friday claimed that poultry grade rice distribution wasn’t limited to Manda and Balaghat districts. “It’s  a major scam and all the ration and other things distributed among the poor should be probed into”, he said.

Being a matter of public interest, the probe should be handed over to the CBI, demanded Nath.

PWD minister Bhupendra Singh accused Kamal Nath of not doing anything when he was ‘offered’ intelligence input in February 2020 that inferior quality rice was brought into the State and good quality rice was supplied out of State.

Congress spokesperson Syyed Jaafar alleged that instead of acting against the guilty millers, the State Government has offered them amnesty by asking them to take back 73,000 metric tonnes of inferior rice and re-supply proper quality grain. Are those close to the BJP engaged in this game,? asked Jaafar.

The Economic Offence Wing which has been handed over the probe of sub-standard rive supply has started the enquiry a team of EOW reached Balaghat on Friday. The Jabalpur wing of the agency has bene asked to probe and submit a report to headquarters. After a preliminary enquiry, an FIR is expected to be lodged in the matter.