CMR Rice Diversion: V&E Dept to Undertake Verification Across State
Officials booked criminal cases against the accused millers
Hyderabad: In the wake of multi-crore custom milling rice (CMR) rice diversion cases unearthed recently by the vigilance and enforcement (V&D) department, the government has directed officials to undertake a ‘verification programme’ to bring the culprits to book. Apart from pursuing civil and criminal remedies, the authorities have also accelerated the recovery of stocks.
By the end of July, coordinated raids across Warangal, Mahbubnagar, Jagtial, Nalgonda, Suryapet and Medak districts found that `154 crore worth of paddy, amounting to 683 metric tonnes (MT) and meant for custom milling, had been illegally diverted. The raids are expected to continue.
Officials have begun examining variations between stocks and dues accumulated over the years. The assets of millers who failed to clear their dues are being seized, and criminal cases are being filed after vigilance and enforcement director D.S. Chauhan ordered the crackdown.
According to civil supplies officials, the irregularities noticed by the V&E department over the years include failure to return CMR within the stipulated time; diversion or unauthorised sale of government paddy; diversion of government rice; short delivery of rice; concealment of stocks; manipulation of records.
Other issues noted were non-maintenance of statutory stock registers; illegal disposal of government property entrusted to mills; and the accumulation of dues over multiple procurement seasons. “These irregularities have accumulated over several years and have resulted in significant losses to the government,” an official said.
In Jagtial, three mills owned by one person were found to have diverted paddy worth `80 crore. At several places, officials booked criminal cases against the accused millers.
Officials found major irregularities during raids on rice mills conducted between July 29 and 30. Paddy worth `118.6 crore was found to have been diverted in Mahabubnagar, while diversions were also detected in Hanamkonda (`9.8 crore), Mulugu (`4 crore), Suryapet (`45 crore) and Sangareddy (`185.4 crore).
In Nizamabad, irregularities involving an estimated `270 crore were unearthed, following which 43 millers were blacklisted and cases were booked. The highest diversion reported at a single mill was worth `58 crore.
