Raipur. During the question hour on the second day of the budget session of Chhattisgarh Assembly, the issue of checking of stock in PDS shops was echoed. BJP MLA Dharamlal Kaushik raised the matter and demanded to form a House committee to investigate the matter. Minister Dayaldas Baghel admitted that something went wrong. Along with this, he talked about getting the matter investigated.
In response to the question of BJP MLA Kaushik, Fertilizer Minister Dayaldas Baghel said that the former Fertilizer Minister had said that the stock verification would be completed by March 24, but the verification was not completed in that period. He told that rice stock worth Rs 216 crore has been found short.
On this, Dharamlal Kaushik said that a House committee should be formed and this matter should be investigated. There was something wrong with the rice sent by the Central Government. What action was taken in this matter. Along with Dharamlal Kaushik, BJP MLAs Ajay Chandrakar and Rajesh Munat also demanded action. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brijmohan Aggarwal said that this entire matter will be investigated by the committee of MLAs.
Earlier, Dharamlal Kaushik asked that the former Fertilizer Minister had said in response to a question asked in this House that the stock would be examined and the report would be presented by March 23, 2022, but the report was not presented? He said that he had promised to investigate and reply by March 24, but the session was adjourned on March 23 itself. After this, the information was hidden by saying that there was a case in the court. There is corruption going on in rice.
Kaushik said that how many irregularities were found in the tests conducted as of March 2023? How much FIR was registered? How much shorts were found? On this, the Fertilizer Minister said that the former Fertilizer Minister had said that the stock verification would be completed by March 24, but the verification was not completed in that period.
Dharamlal Kaushik said that the Asandi in the Assembly had given instructions to conduct the verification. This is a case of contempt of Asandi. Action should be taken on this. Ajay Chandrakar said that the investigation report did not come even after Asandi’s instructions. This is contempt of Asandi. On this, Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh said that whatever instructions are given by Asandi, it should be ensured in future that action is taken on them seriously.
Fertilizer Minister Dayaldas Baghel said that a shortage in stock worth Rs 216 crore was found. Kaushik said that there has been a mistake of Rs 216 crore. The rule says that stock verification has to be done in PDS shops every two months to know how much rice is left. When all this is written in the rules, then how did rice worth Rs 216 crore go wrong?
BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar asked that the minister in his reply said that there has been an irregularity of Rs 216 crore. But action was taken against how many people? BJP MLA Rajesh Munat said that the Central Government gave 28 lakh metric tonnes of rice on the demand of the state. Why were they made ineligible in a family where there are three people? Ration shops were not audited in four years?
Munat said that there was a rule to take strict action against those who eat rice of the poor, but they were left with a small fine. Strict action should be taken against those who eat the rice of the poor. On this, Fertilizer Minister Dayaldas Baghel said that 221 shops were suspended after irregularities were found in the stock. FIR has been registered against 127 people.