Dal scam: criminal action against suppliers

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik accepted a proposal of anti-corruption vigilance department to start criminal action against persons involved in the supply of dal under mid-day meal (MDM) and supplementary nutrition programme (SNP).

About one crore beneficiaries including 50 lakh children were fed infected and substandard dal at different schools in anganwadi centres for years together.

"The chief minister has also ordered disciplinary action against the officials allegedly involved in dal related irregularities," an official spokesman said adding action against suppliers and tainted officers would start soon.

Confirming supply of huge quantity of substandard pulses under MDM and SNP, the vigilance wing had meanwhile submitted its report on the irregularities in five districts -- Deogarh, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam and Jajpur.

Though Pramila Mallik had resigned as the minister of women an child development in the wake of the scam and actions initiated against three IAS officers who worked as collectors during the scam, no action had been taken against suppliers.

After tendering her resignation, Mallik, however, claimed that the vigilance department had given clean chit to her in the dal related irregularities.

The women an child development department was the nodal agency of MDM and SNP.