Rs 107 cr paddy procurement scam comes to light in Bihar

Dr K K Kaushik

Muzaffarpur : A Rs 107 crore scam has been detected in paddy procurement during 2011-14 in the 38 districts of  Bihar. All the DMs and SPs have been asked to take appropriate action in this connection.

According to a list released by Bihar State Food and Civil Supply Corporation, financial irregularity worth Rs 107 crore was detected in paddy procurement in the 38 districts of the state during 2011-14. Of the 403 government personnel involved in the scam, 124 have so far returned the amount misappropriated by them while 24 personnel have been sent to jail and action has been initiated against the rest of the staff.

In Muzaffarpur district, Rs 4.75 crore was misappropriated by 35 employees during the period in paddy procurement. Although Muzaffarpur DM Dharmendra Singh remained tightlipped over the issue, sources said he has directed the Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC) and District Agriculture Officer (DAO) to recover the amount from the employees concerned. So far only Rs 5 lakh had been recovered from 20 employees while FIR was lodged against two employees concerned. No one has been arrested in this connection in Muzaffarpur district so far.

In Sitamarhi district, financial irregularity worth Rs 5 crore took place in paddy procurement during the period while in Vaishali district Rs 1.36 crore was misappropriated by the employees concerned. In East Champaran district, the scam was worth Rs 97 lakh while in West Champaran it was worth Rs 85 lakh.