Farmer union alleges paddy scam in state, seeks CBI probe

Alleging a major paddy scam in Haryana, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) today demanded a CBI inquiry and action against the officials and rice millers responsible for irregularities in the procurement process.

A meeting of the state body of the union was held at Jat Dharmashala in Kurukshetra. Later, the union members took out a protest march and submitted a memorandum and a complaint to SDM Pehowa Abhinav Siwach.

BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni said, “Despite a decline of around 25 per cent in yield due to waterlogging and diseases, more paddy stocks than the previous year are reaching the grain markets. Union members have caught trucks carrying rice and paddy from other states, but no action has been taken by the departments concerned. We suspect that rice meant for PDS from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is being brought to Haryana to be adjusted against bogus procurement.”

In the memorandum submitted for Chief Minister, the union has demanded immediate physical verification of the rice mills, CBI inquiry in the paddy procurement, increase in the sugarcane prices to Rs 500 per quintal, MSP guarantee on all crops, transparency in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, loan waiver, cancellation of cases registered against farmers during agitations and improvement in distribution of DAP and urea.

Meanwhile, in a complaint submitted for the Deputy Commissioner, the union has alleged irregularities in the procurement process at Kurukshetra and sought action against the District Food and Supplies Controller (DFSC). Gurnam Singh has further alleged that while in the grain markets, the sales of paddy are shown at MSP, cuts of Rs 200-300 a quintal are imposed.

The union alleged that paddy and rice being transported directly to rice mills from Uttar Pradesh are causing losses to the state exchequer and farmers, but no action is being taken.

The union also alleged fake entries on the ‘Meri Fasal, Mera Byora’ (MFMB) portal and claimed that land under sugarcane, poplar trees, residential colonies and even rivers have been registered under paddy crop. The entries are even verified and the same data is used to justify the bogus purchase of paddy. The union has further demanded an investigation into the gate passes being issued, and the weighing and movement of the stock.

Charuni said, “A paddy scam is being carried out in a very systematic and organised manner in which departmental officials, rice millers and even some political people are involved. There should be a CBI inquiry to expose the entire system. If the government is serious about stopping such scams, there should be computerised weighing scales in the grain markets, biometric verification, CCTV monitoring and real-time reporting system for transparency. If the demands are not met, the union will be forced to take a strict decision.”

“A meeting is to be held with the Chief Minister, and in the meeting, we will raise these issues. It has also been decided that a programme will be held on November 25 to mark the fifth anniversary of the farmer agitation. For it, a committee has been constituted,” he added.