Paddy scam: 450 mills don’t reply to notices

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 6

After diversion of paddy worth Rs 90 crore from 1,207 rice mills coming to light, the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department is yet to recover the cost of missing paddy from 450 owners.

“The rice mills have not replied to notices issued over diversion of paddy till January 15. The department has fixed February 5 as the deadline to pay the cost of missing paddy,” said PK Das, Additional Chief Secretary.

“An amount of between Rs 30 crore and Rs 35 crore is to be recovered. We will tell their guarantors to pay by Monday. Property documents are available. If guarantors do not pay, we will invoke these documents,” he said.

In case of 757 rice mills which replied to notices for paddy diversion, the department was going through their justifications.

“Further action in their regard will be taken in the next 15 days. We have three options — cost recovery, blacklisting and registration of FIRs,” said Das.

“It is a case of misappropriation. The justification being given that 1 per cent shortfall in paddy stock is allowed is wrong,” he said.

The scam involved bogus procurement of paddy in collusion between rice millers, procurement agencies, arhtiyas and marketing board officials. Congress leaders demanded a CBI inquiry into the scam.