Administrative action begins at rice mill in Ganjam over forgery allegations

Administrative action has been initiated at Maa Tarini Rice Mill located in Balia village under Purushottampur block of Ganjam district on Saturday.

Following the directive of the Managing Director of the Odisha State Civil Supply Corporation, a two-member team arrived at the mill to oversee the transfer of the paddy, rice, and other materials stored in the mill’s three warehouses to 20 nearby mills.

Earlier, there were serious allegations that rice had been supplied to warehouses under forged signatures of the District Supply Officer in the name of the mill. Based on these allegations, the administration had conducted multiple raids on the mill over the past month. The officials reached the site on Saturday to begin the transfer of paddy and rice from the mill.

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"As per the order of the OSCSC MD, all the paddy and rice of the mill will be transferred to the other millers. It will be conducted in the presence of the Magistrate. There has been substantial stock in the three warehouses of the mill, and this stock of paddy, rice, and other materials will be transferred to other mills. The miller was given sufficient time. However, he failed to keep proper stock. The state squad had also come. However, the physical verification could not be made. The forged signature is being verified at the cyber police station. Physical verifications of all the mills across the state were conducted. However, this miller didn't cooperate in the process. An additional Tehsildar has come as the Magistrate today, along with the Civil Supply wing, Legal Metrology wing, and the quality analyst. We have selected 20 better-performing mills as per the order of the Collector, and the stock will be shifted there," said an official.