Close X
Friday, November 1, 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

AAP nominates Swati Maliwal for RS, retains ND Gupta & Sanjay Singh

AAP nominates Swati Maliwal for RS, retains ND Gupta & Sanjay Singh
The Aam Aadmi Party has nominated Swati Maliwal, Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha while giving second terms to Sanjay Singh and N.D. Gupta. Maliwal will replace Sushil Kumar Gupta in the Rajya Sabha.

AAP nominates Swati Maliwal for RS, retains ND Gupta & Sanjay Singh

SIT set up to probe Gurugram hotel murder case

SIT set up to probe Gurugram hotel murder case
Divya, 27, was allegedly killed by Abhijeet Singh -- the owner of Hotel City Point, here, on January 2. According to police, Divya and Abhijeet were in a relationship, and the murder took place at Room Number 111 of the same hotel. The police are yet to find Divya's body. It is being suspected that the body has been dumped somewhere in Punjab.

SIT set up to probe Gurugram hotel murder case

Jaishankar returns to India after wrapping up Nepal visit

Jaishankar returns to India after wrapping up Nepal visit
Besides attending the meeting, also visited the Pashupatinath Temple, witnessed some agreements being signed and held talks with President Ram Chandra Poudel, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Leader of the Opposition K.P. Oli, among others.

Jaishankar returns to India after wrapping up Nepal visit

Punjab disburses Rs 19.83 crore to farmers opting for direct seeding of rice

Punjab disburses Rs 19.83 crore to farmers opting for direct seeding of rice
The Punjab government has transferred Rs 19.83 crore into bank accounts of 17,007 farmers who opted Direct Seeding Rice (DSR) in the Kharif season, state Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said on Friday. He said 19,114 farmers have registered 172,049 acres on the DSR portal during 2023-24 and 18,931 farmers and 133,745.67 acres under DSR was verified.  

Punjab disburses Rs 19.83 crore to farmers opting for direct seeding of rice

Punjab Guv questions CM over convicted minister's continuation in Cabinet

Punjab Guv questions CM over convicted minister's continuation in Cabinet
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Friday questioned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the morality of the continuation of Aman Arora in the Cabinet after his two-year conviction in a criminal case. “This is a serious matter involving non-compliance of the directions issued by the Supreme Court. Can I have a detailed report on the entire issue,” the Governor wrote to the Chief Minister.

Punjab Guv questions CM over convicted minister's continuation in Cabinet

Delhi shivers on second consecutive Cold Day, air quality in 'very poor' levels

Delhi shivers on second consecutive Cold Day, air quality in 'very poor' levels
The national capital, for the second consecutive day, on Friday witnessed a severe cold day amid shallow fog during the day with maximum temperature reaching at 14.6 degree Celsius, five notches below the normal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The AQI continued to remain in a "very poor" category at several monitoring stations.

Delhi shivers on second consecutive Cold Day, air quality in 'very poor' levels