Naidunia Correspondent, Jabalpur | A major scam surfaced in the storage of wheat purchased by the government at the support price in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. A preliminary investigation revealed approximately 1,000 tons of wheat missing from the Annapurna and Maa Narmada warehouses. It is alleged that the wheat records were exchanged with records from other warehouses to conceal the shortage. The spark of the scam reached Bhopal, and a team of senior officials was formed to probe the matter. The team will now arrive in Jabalpur to investigate the entire matter.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Govind Singh Rajput reacted to the reports of the scam, saying the allegations will be probed. His statement created a stir in Jabalpur.
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Jabalpur Officials To Face Probe
Officials associated with the procurement committee may also be questioned. The role of the committee and groups will also be scrutinised. Furthermore, sources suggested that the investigation will also examine which officials and employees were involved in the record manipulation. If irregularities are confirmed, action could be taken against both the warehouse operators and the responsible officials.
Shortages Of Grains Concealed By Tampering With Records
According to preliminary information, instead of cross-checking the stock at the godown where wheat shortages were found, attempts were made to conceal the shortages by making paper adjustments to the records of other godowns. Investigating agencies are now checking stock registers, transportation invoices, lifting records, and data from online portals.
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Earlier, 1,400 Tons Of Paddy Go Missing
This is not the first such case in the district. Previously, approximately 1,400 tons of paddy was reported missing from the Shriji Warehouse. Surprisingly, despite such a massive scam, neither has the missing paddy been fully recovered nor has the payment dispute been finally resolved. This raises serious questions about the warehouse management and monitoring system.
According to sources, an investigation team from Bhopal will probe the entire matter in detail. The team will investigate where the wheat actually went, at what level the records were altered, and where the monitoring system lapses occurred. Based on the investigation report, departmental action is expected against the concerned officials and employees, along with the filing of an FIR.
In the past few years, Jabalpur has consistently reported irregularities in the storage of grain purchased at the support price. Now, with the Annapurna and Maa Narmada warehouses, the transparency and monitoring system of the government storage system has once again come under question.