Naveen Govt accused of Rs 1200 cr PDS scam

BHUBANESWAR: The image of the Naveen Patnaik government has taken a beating after various scams have come to light over a period of time in his third stint in power. The Biju Janata Dal Government is having a series of embarrassing moments.

And the latest scam apparently is related to misappropriation of Rs 1200 crore public distribution system [PDS] with Opposition Congress in Orissa on Monday raking up the issue in state assembly here.

Congress chief whip Prasad Harichandan during an adjournment motion debate on PDS in the state Assembly leveled he charge, which, however, promptly denied by the state government.

Stating that PDS scam is the latest after a series of scams like mining, coal and dal, Mr Harichandan accused the state government of misappropriating Rs 1,200 crore during procurement, distribution and buffer management of food grains.

In support of his contention, the Congress leader said, Rs 290 crore was directly misappropriated through Custom Mill Rice (CMR) and the department of food supplies and consumer welfare while there was an irregularity of Rs 900 crore from other services. Rice millers were given Rs 50 per quintal of paddy for processing but the government allotted Rs 60 per quintal under CMR. As a result it gave Rs 10 excess per quintal thus misappropriating Rs 290 crore in the process, he alleged.

"Is it not conspiracy to siphon public money?" the Congress chief whip thundered. Mr Harichandan, however, had little time to explain the manner in which another Rs 900 crore was misappropriated.

"I make this allegation with authority. Financial irregularities are rampant," Mr Harichandan told reporters outside the Assembly.

Rejecting the charge, food supplies and consumer welfare minister S P Nayak said there was absolute transparency in PDS in the state. "The very fact that union minister of state for food recently praised the state government for its efforts to increase storage capacity from 1.20 lakh metric ton to 3 lakh metric ton belies such vague allegations," he claimed.