Close X
Friday, November 22, 2024
ADVT 
India

Akali Dal seeks CBI probe into Rs 500 crore wheat, flour delivery 'scam' in Punjab

Darpan News Desk, 05 Mar, 2024 03:16 PM
  • Akali Dal seeks CBI probe into Rs 500 crore wheat, flour delivery 'scam' in Punjab

Chandigarh, March 4 (IANS) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday demanded a CBI probe into the home delivery of wheat and flour in Punjab by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, alleging Rs 500 crore would be looted from the treasury by allotting this work to Delhi-based companies close to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Addressing the media here, senior party leaders Parambans Singh Romana and Winnerjit Goldy claimed that contracts worth Rs 655 crore had been awarded to two companies owned by Kejriwal confidant R.K. Mittal without advertising the tender document in any newspaper of Punjab.

"The entire tender was tailor-made for these selected companies, one of whom – R.K. Associates supplied food in Shatabdi trains," they said, alleging that a scam was being perpetrated at every stage of the home delivery service with the companies being awarded a delivery cost of Rs 24 crore per month to deliver wheat and flour at a cost of Rs 3 per kg within a radius of eight km only.

They said similarly Rs 3 per kg rate had been awarded to repackage wheat at a cost of Rs 14.40 crore per month and Rs 5.50 per kg to mill wheat to supply as flour at a cost of Rs 17.60 crore per month, and this entire cost, if calculated for the entire year, came to Rs 384 crore.

Romana and Goldy said the companies would use 16 lakh Markfed bags to distribute both wheat and flour and that the same would be retained with the companies which would result in a pilferage of Rs 108 crore. The bag with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s picture which would be delivered to the beneficiaries along with wheat and flour would entail a further cost of Rs 125 crore.

Besides, Rs 65,000 per month was being paid for management of wheat and flour at 800 company shops which would be manned by two persons.

Asserting that the state would be burdened to the tune of Rs 655 crore by this scheme whose sole purpose was to woo the electorate in other states prior to the Lok Sabha elections, the SAD leaders said the same was being done by ration depot holders at a cost of 47 paisa per kg and involved a total cost of only Rs 45 crore per annum.

"This is a massive scam as the entire home delivery can be done at a fraction of the cost," the leaders asserted. They also disclosed that a further Rs 300 to Rs 400 crore were likely to be spent on advertising the scheme in Punjab and in other states entailing a total cost of Rs 1,000 crore to the state exchequer.

"It is clear that at least Rs 500 crore is being pilfered to finance AAP at the cost of Punjab and this deserves a CBI probe," the Akali Dal leaders added.

Punjab Depot Dealers Federation President Sukhwinder Kanjla said besides taking away the livelihood of 18,000 depot holders as well as others associated with them, the scheme would also inconvenience the beneficiaries. He said the depot holders were giving wheat to the beneficiaries for a period of three months in one go and were available round the clock while now beneficiaries would get wheat and flour every month at specific times during the day which would not be convenient for daily wagers.

MORE India ARTICLES

Civil servants of 6 African countries learning skills in Indian institute

Civil servants of 6 African countries learning skills in Indian institute
Civil servants of six different African countries are being trained in India, learning leadership and governance related skills in a Mussoorie institute. This programme is for civil servants from the African region and 36 senior officers from six countries, namely Eritrea, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Gambia, and Eswatini are attending it, an official said.  

Civil servants of 6 African countries learning skills in Indian institute

Ram temple will continue to inspire us to create new paradigms of development: PM Modi to Prez

Ram temple will continue to inspire us to create new paradigms of development: PM Modi to Prez
The grand Ram temple in Ayodhya will continue to "inspire us, to create new paradigms of development and success", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a letter to President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday. The letter by the Prime Minister was written in reponse to the President's letter regarding the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ayodhya's Ram temple.  

Ram temple will continue to inspire us to create new paradigms of development: PM Modi to Prez

Yogi govt integrates 100,000 CCTV cameras for enhanced citizen safety

Yogi govt integrates 100,000 CCTV cameras for enhanced citizen safety
As part of the Smart City Mission, a total of 100,000 CCTV cameras have been installed in 17 municipal corporations and Gautam Buddha Nagar as well as integrated under the Safe City Project, maintaining continuous surveillance of these cities around the clock.

Yogi govt integrates 100,000 CCTV cameras for enhanced citizen safety

Badal slams Kejriwal, Mann for rejection of Bhullar’s plea for premature release

Badal slams Kejriwal, Mann for rejection of Bhullar’s plea for premature release
Stating that Mann had also shown his anti-Sikh face in the episode, Badal said the Punjab Government refused to recommend Prof Bhullar’s release despite knowing all the facts of the case, including the fact that the detainee’s health was precarious. “This is condemnable.” Calling upon the Khalsa Panth to recognise those who were working against it, Badal said, “The Panth helped AAP in securing 92 seats but has been betrayed.”  

Badal slams Kejriwal, Mann for rejection of Bhullar’s plea for premature release

282 drug abusers undergoing de-addiction treatment in Punjab: IGP

282 drug abusers undergoing de-addiction treatment in Punjab: IGP
Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sukhchain Singh Gill on Tuesday said that at least 282 drug abusers are currently undergoing de-addiction treatment across the state. Punjab Police has been promoting and creating awareness about section 64-A of the NDPS act, which provides an opportunity to a drug consumer, caught with a few grams of heroin or narcotic powder, for rehabilitation.

282 drug abusers undergoing de-addiction treatment in Punjab: IGP

Man arrested at Delhi airport, impersonation scam exposed

Man arrested at Delhi airport, impersonation scam exposed
The FIR accessed by IANS said that Vijai Mohandoss, a resident of Mangalur, Tamil Nadu, arrived on flight from Birmingham with a passport issued on November 8 2023. However, discrepancies were noticed when officials cross-checked his travel history. According to immigration records, Vijai had previously departed from India on January 17, 2020 using a different passport and later on March 10, 2021 from Bangalore using the same passport.

Man arrested at Delhi airport, impersonation scam exposed