Harsh demands Special Task Force to probe frauds in CAPD

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 6: Alleging large scale irregularities and malpractices in the functioning of CAPD Deptt, JKNPP chairman and former Minister Harshdev Singh today urged upon the Food and Supplies Minister to constitute a special Task Force to probe the multi crore scams and frauds being committed in the said department.
He said that the expose of Rs 30 crore ration trans-shipment scam in Udhampur that was detected by the Deputy Commissioner Udhampur last week, is only a tip of the ice berg with similar situation prevailing in all other districts and tehsils all over the State.
“A deep rooted nexus existed in the CAPD Deptt with Government functionaries, millars and ration dealers looting not less than 80 percent of the funds and ration meant for BPL / APL families with helmsmen turning a blind eye to the open frauds for vested interests,” he said.
Mr Singh regretted that the State Government had earlier turned a deaf ear to the report of the Parliamentary panel on Food Supplies which had pointed out several incriminating aspects in food supplies under PDS.
Lauding the efforts of DDC Udhampur in unearthing the fraud, he sought a thorough and in depth enquiry into all aspects of distribution of food supplies including the funds received, ration supplied by GOI, transport charges, mule charges, loading and unloading charges, quality of ration supplied and ground verification of the beneficiaries in all districts and tehsils with strict legal action as well as recovery proceedings against the delinquents.
Harshdev Singh said that the rural and remote areas were the worst affected as there was no timely supply of ration and people were suffering badly. He said that the ration dealers in majority of the remote areas were playing truant and committing several frauds in the process of ration distribution.