While the Odisha High Court here is already adjudicating over a PIl seeking CBI enquiry into the multi-crore dal scam in the State, a fresh PIl was filed in the court on Tuesday in which the petitioner has sought appropriate action against the Government officials found guilt after an enquiry by the Central agency.
Nishikant Mishra, a practicing advocate of the High Court, in the PIl has alleged that Collectors of at least 12 districts were involved in purchasing substandard dal for the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme for which the State Government suffered a loss to the tune of Rs 43.61 crore. Relying on a compliance audit report of Accountant General of Odisha, Mishra in his petition mentioned that between 2008 and 2011, at least 2.75 crore beneficiaries were covered under the MDM, Supplementary Nutrition Programme and Emergency Food Programme.
The beneficiaries include school students, children below six years, pregnant and nursing mothers. “While the total expenditure incurred in these programmes during the period ran up to Rs 2,292.46 crore, dal worth Rs 715.85 crore was purchased under the scheme. Pecuniary advantages to the tune of Rs 43.61 crore was made by certain Government officials by showing undue favour to private suppliers and traders in at least 12 districts of the State,” the petitioner maintained quoting the AG report.
Although, the State vigilance directorate, the anti-corruption wing of the police department, conducted an enquiry, they could only detect pecuniary advantages of Rs 19.62 crore in the districts of Baleswar, Jajpur, Ganjam, Mayurbhanj and Deogarh, the petitioner said alleging that only few lower-level Government officials were arrested. “Whereas the Collectors of these districts were chairmen of the purchasing committee, they were let off and no disciplinary action was initiated against them,” the PIl alleged.