Food official suspended for ‘anomalies’ in ration supply

Tribune News Service

Karnal, March 31

Additional Chief Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, SN Roy, has suspended Kushal

Pal Bura, District Food and Supplies Officer, who was also the officiating District Food and Supplies Controller.

No reason was mentioned behind the suspension in the order, but as per the sources in the department, this action was initiated after alleged irregularities in the distribution of fortified flour came to light in the district. The department started distributing fortified flour from February in Karnal, which became second district after Ambala under the pilot project.

During his suspension period, he would be reporting at Director office, headquartered in Chandigarh. Now, Anil Kumar, DFSC, Jind, has been given the additional charge of Karnal.

As per sources, around 90 depot holders have got the biometric thumb impression of beneficiaries without distributing fortified flour of the February month. Of them, the department issued notices to 66 depot holders. As per sources it was an alleged attempt to dupe beneficiaries to siphon off around 300 quintal flour.

Meanwhile, Kushal Bura, DFSC, refuted the allegation and said the step was initiated without going into the facts. “We were on top in the distribution of wheat in zone-2 till last January, but suddenly the distribution came down due to the non-supply of flour from the mill in February,” he said.

“I have taken timely action as the issue has come to my notice. I have also informed the department authorities about the non-supply of flour by the mill,” he said.

‘Attempt to dupe beneficiaries’

• No reason was mentioned behind the suspension in the order, but as per the sources in the department action was initiated after alleged irregularities in the distribution of fortified flour came to light.
• Sources said around 90 depot holders have got the biometric thumb impression of beneficiaries without distributing fortified flour of the February month. Of them, the department issued notices to 66 depot holders.
• As per sources it was an alleged attempt to dupe beneficiaries to siphon off around 300 quintal flour