Food Supplies Minister orders action against erring officials responsible for shortage of wheat stocks

Food Supplies Minister orders action against erring officials responsible for shortage of wheat stocks at Jandiala Guru centre in Amritsar district

Food Supplies Minister orders action against erring officials responsible for shortage of wheat stocks at Jandiala Guru centre in Amritsar district

Chandigarh, August 8:

Mr. Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Food Supplies Minister, Punjab has ordered strict action against the officials responsible for shortage of wheat stocks at Jandiala Guru centre in Amritsar district.

Disclosing this in a press communiqué Mr. Ashu said that the Department of Food & Supplies Punjab immediately deputed the Central Vigilance Committee (CVC) from head office to undertake a special physical verification of Pungrain wheat stocks at Jandiala Guru in Amritsar district, after it came to notice that the concerned Inspector, Sh. Jasdev Singh is absconding. He said that CVC constituted various teams to verify the wheat stocks in various godowns/ plinths of Pungrain at Jandiala Guru. As per the preliminary report, 184344 bags (50 kg jute/ 30 kg PP) pertaining to crop year 2018-19, 2020-21 & 2021-22 have been found to be short, the cost of which is approx. Rs 20 crores. The Food & Supplies Minister, Punjab said that he has taken a serious note of the same and ordered to initiate Departmental  proceedings  for  major  penalty  against  all  the  staff/  officials responsible for the shortage. Accordingly, Sh. Amarinder Singh, DFSO & Sh. Arshdeep Singh, AFSO Jandiala Guru have been placed under suspension and Departmental proceedings/ issuance of charge sheet has been ordered. Further, Departmental proceedings have also been initiated against Sh. Raj Rishi Mehra, DFSC Amritsar and his predecessor, Ms. Jasjit Kaur for supervisory lapse and charge sheets are to be issued to both the officers. Also, FIR no. 0239 dated 06.08.2021 has been registered against the delinquent Inspector at Police Station Jandiala District Amritsar Rural.

CVC, in its preliminary report, has also apprehended that there might be bogus purchase of wheat and embezzlement of wheat distributed under NFSA-2013/ PMGKY. In this regard, CVC has been directed to undertake thorough enquiry of the matter and verify the central pool wheat stocks of RMS 2018-19 onwards and also  report  regarding distribution  of  wheat  under NFSA-2013/ PMGKY. It has also been decided to refer the case to Vigilance Department, Punjab for further investigation.

Food & Supplies Minister, Punjab clarified that the Government would not tolerate any corruption and strict action would be taken against any officer/ staff found responsible for such acts. To prevent such cases in future, a committee of Departmental officers has been constituted and directed to submit their report/ comments within three weeks.

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