After a political hue and cry, the physical verification of the paddy stocks of millers in Haryana has been completed and the Government is all set to give a clean chit to the rice millers and procurement agencies in the matter.
A shortfall of around 15 lakh metric tonnes has been found in the stock of 1509 grade paddy available with the rice millers.
Confirming the completion of the process of physical verification, Haryana Food and Supply Minister Karan Dev Kamboj said stocks of around 140 millers have been verified and found in accordance with their procured quantity.
Attributing the shortfall to the transactional and clerical mistakes, Kamboj said that during the procurement, some quantity of normal paddy was mistakenly counted under the 1509 variety and that is why a difference in the stock of the variety has emerged.
He said the shortfall in the quantity of 1509 stock has been mainly found in Asandh district but the verification teams have given a clean chit to the millers as their stocks are found correct.
Asked what would be done with the stock of 1509 procured by government, Kamboj said that the report of the physical verification has been sent to Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar and the decision about the use of this stock will be taken later.
Replying on the controversy of paddy brought by the millers to fulfill their stocks for verification, Kamboj said that government was concerned with the paddy, which it had issued to millers otherwise traders were free to run their trade freely.
Opposition parties INlD and Congress had alleged a scam in the procurement of paddy and demanded a CBI probe in the matter. They had alleged that farmers of the state suffered losses due to purchase of PUSA basmati 1509 as common paddy.
The allegations had gained ground after the prices of basmati shot up after the process of procurement was over.
Changing of stand for procuring 1509 variety as common paddy, had also contributed in giving hype to the allegations of a scam in paddy purchase. Department of Food and Supply had revised its order on classification of paddy during procurement.
While earlier the procurement officers were asked to classify PUSA basmati 1509 separately while procuring, later the department revised its order saying no separate classification was required.