Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Wheat worth Rs 23 crore procured by the state government has disappeared. The wheat purchased at the procurement centres did not reach the godowns.
Out of the wheat purchased at the procurement centres, 86,000 quintals did not reach the warehouses, and the food and civil supplies department began an inquiry into the incident.
The highest amount of wheat has gone missing from Sagar, the home district of Food and Civil Supplies Minister Govind Singh Rajput. Nearly 14,000 quintals of wheat worth Rs 4 crore have reportedly disappeared from the district.
Nearly 13,000 quintals of wheat have gone missing from Jabalpur, 6,300 quintals from Vidisha, and 7,300 quintals from Narmadapuram.
The incident has flustered the Food and Civil Supplies Department. Every year, after the procurement, a small amount of wheat dries.
But the disappearance of such a huge amount of wheat after procurement and its shortage afterwards indicate that there is something fishy.
Major districts from wheat
went missing after purchase
Satna 5,000 quintals
Rewa 2,800 quintals
Sagar 14,000 quintals
Jabalpur 13,000 quintals
Seoni 2,000 quintals
Raisen 2,300 quintals
Rajgarh 3,000 quintals
Vidisha 6,300 quintals
Narmadapuram 7,300 quintals
Shajapur 3,000 quintals
Ujjain 3,600 quintals
Agar Malwa 4,700 quintals
Ashoknagar 1,500 quintals
Who's responsible?
In districts, the government procures wheat through societies which function under cooperative departments. After the procurement, societies send the wheat to warehouses, and the food and civil supplies corporation is responsible for transporting the produce. So, the corporation is responsible for completing the process, and then the wheat is sent to warehouses. The wheat went missing in the process of its transportation from societies.
LoP raises the issue
Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar has raised the issue of missing wheat. According to Singhar, initially there was a case of procurement of wheat because of collusion between some fake farmers and Patwaris (revenue officials), and now, a case in which 86,000 quintals of wheat disappeared came to light. Singhar sought a reply from the government.
No information, says Rajput
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Govind Singh Rajput said he had no information about missing wheat. Rajput said he was out of the state, and he would take feedback from the officers about the incident.
