An unholy nexus between the Supply Inspectors and millers in five districts of Odisha has cost Rs 24 crore to the state coffers, revealed a special audit report.
The districts include Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Sambalpur, Kalahandi and Sonepur.
The Odisha Civil Supplies Corporation (OCSC) Limited had earlier directed its officers to initiate action against 11 corrupt Supply Inspectors who were found to be hand in gloves with the unscrupulous millers. However, no action was taken in the last one month forcing the Corporation to write once again to its officials to file draft charges and initiate disciplinary action against the corrupt officials by January 15, 2022.
In a letter, the Corporation ordered the CSO-cum-District Managers, “You were requested to serve the relevant audit reports to following erring officials as per finding of the audit report and initiate disciplinary proceeding against them within one month vide letter under reference, But no response has yet been received from your office which shows that the letters issued from this office might have not been dealt in file or you have not taken the matter seriously to submit your reply to higher Authorities.”
“It is therefore requested to examine the recommendations of SAR at your end keeping in view to the procedures laid down in GA Deptt. & submit draft charges against the erring officials latest by January 15, 2022 unfailingly,” read the order.
It is worth mentioning here that the millers are required to return 68 pc of the paddy they receive from the government in the form of rice to the Corporation. The millers reimburse transportation and milling cost from the corporation as well. The Corporation employs Supply Inspectors at the spot to maintain transparency throughout the process.
However, as per the audit report, 11 Supply Inspectors posted in five aforesaid districts embezzled money with the help of millers.
As per reports, Khirabdraj Mohapatra, former MI-cum-AO in Bhadrak has been accused of swindling money to the tune of Rs 11.31 Crore with the help of Mangalam Agrotech Pvt Ltd, a miller in Bhadrak. Similarly, Prakash Chandra Patra, a Supply Inspector formerly posted in Kalahandi misappropriated Corporation money to the tune of Rs 3.27 Crores with the help of a miller named Maheswari Agro Industries in Kalahandi. There are nine others in different districts as well.
Alok Khemka, the proprietor of Mangalam Agrotech Private Limited refuted the allegations and said, “As per our estimate the amount was just over Rs 10 Crore which we have already deposited at the District Magistrate’s Office in Bhadrak."
Ranendra Pratap Swain, Odisha Food Supplies Minister said, “OSCSC has issued letter to all the 11 officials. We are already in the process of taking disciplinary action against them. We will also make it sure to recover the lost amount as soon as possible from them.”