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Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

In wheat bowl Madhya Pradesh, ghost farmers drain coffers of Rs 60 crore -Amarjeet Singh
-The Times of India
 

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh which prides itself to be the new grain bowl of India is rocked by Rs 60-crore wheat scam, according to investigations conducted by TOI in just eight of 51 districts of the state. More than 2 lakh quintals of wheat procured in 2013-14 in eight districts have gone missing. Payments have been made by co-operative societies, but wheat purchased from farmers was not deposited at warehouses of Madhya Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation.

In most districts, the scam is deep-rooted and cooperatives societies make fast buck after every harvest, but no action is taken, barring probe orders.

Cooperative societies procure wheat from farmers and deposit the produce at civil supplies corporation warehouses. The society then transfers receipts against procurement to cooperative banks, which in turn makes payments to farmers.

And this is how scamsters drain the coffers. Fake purchases are made by cooperative societies in the name of ghost farmers. Money is withdrawn from banks against fake purchases. Cash siphoned off in the name of ghost farmers is routed to cooperative society officials and banks, which are running at huge losses.

The missing 2 lakh quintals of wheat from these eight districts are worth Rs 30-35 crore. But fraudulent payment for gunny bags, fake transportation bills, commissions to cooperative societies against procurement of ghost wheat and other sundry expenses pushes the magnitude of the scam to Rs 60 crore, said an official.

Hoshangabad collector Rahul Jain said, "Of 65,000 quintals of missing wheat, 23,000 quintals were rejected. Action has been taken against erring societies."

In Harda district where 35,000 quintals of wheat have gone missing, assistant registrar co-operative societies, Harda, Alok Dubey said, "At least 90 wheat procurement centres in the district are being investigated for missing wheat."

In Raisen, where 23,480 quintals of wheat disappeared, deputy registrar cooperative societies, B K Singh, said, "FIRs have been registered against two cooperative society office-bearers."

Here, around 10,600 quintals of wheat have gone missing from just one society this year. "The process of registering FIRs against society manager and other officials is underway," Singh said.

In Datia district, around 27,000 quintals of wheat have gone missing in 2012-13 and 5,000 quintals vanished in 2013-14. Joint registrar cooperative societies, Gwalior, Abhay Khare, said, "Investigations were conducted for 2012-13 and recoveries have also been made".

In Jabalpur district, 23,000 quintals of wheat vanished in 2013-14. Zonal manager of Madhya Pradesh State Co-operative Marketing Federation Limited, D S Khedkar, said, "Investigations are underway at various levels for wheat shortage in Jabalpur."

At Gwalior, 5,500 quintals of wheat went missing. However, officials claim extra purchase was shown and recoveries were made. "Now, the total wheat missing is at 1500 quintals," said district manager of civil supplies corporation, Yogesh Singh.

And here's a shocker from district manager of the corporation, Ujjain, R K Shrivastav, said, "Around 10,000 quintals of wheat was found missing. The weight difference is due to moisture-laden wheat which later dries up."

Cooperatives minister Gopal Bhargav said, "A probe would be conducted to dig out the truth. A high-powered committee may also be constituted to probe the matter".