Taking a serious note of irregularities reported in the procurement, transporation and distribution of food grains meant for public distribution system and tampering of related documents in Kumaon division, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has ordered the suspension of a provincial civil service (PCS) officer and Kumaon regional food controller Vishnu Singh Dhanik.
A scam of around Rs 600 crore involving PDS and documentation in the region has been reported. DM, Udham Singh Nagar, Neeraj Kharwal has been given additional charge of regional food controller.
CM’s media advisor Darshan Singh Rawat said that scam was held during the previous Congress-helmed Government in the Dtate. “After the scam was reported the government godowns at Rudrapur, Kashipur and Kichchha in Udham Singh Nagar district were checked. The documents were checked too following which the irregularities came to light. Dhanik was found involved in the scam,” he said.
It is learnt that the state administration acted on receipt of complaints over poor quality of food grains being provided to the ration card holders under the State food security scheme in Kumaon division. An inquiry was ordered and the report exposed the department officials’ negligence. The department officials were found negligent while procuring paddy. Besides, the quality of rice procured thus was found bad.
The CM had met the department officers in August and expressed disappointment over the matter. He had also alerted them against repetition of the same. On August 2, CM Rawat had ordered district magistrate Neeraj Kharwal to form a special investigation team (SIT) comprising additional DM (administration) Jagdish Chandra Kandpal, additional SP, Rudrapur, Devendra Peencha, SDM Kashipur Veenit Tomar and in-charge officer, Joint office, Collectorate Kashipur Yukta Mishra to conduct an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the distribution of food grains under PDS in Udham Singh Nagar district. Investigation had revealed that the number of sacks filled with rice was much less than that (around 2, 000 sacks) as mentioned in the document. Irregularities had also been found in transportation and distribution of food grains. SIT had found irregularities in procurement of food grains and transportation at several places like Bajpur, Rudrapur, Kashipur and Kichchha.