In perhaps one of the biggest scams unfolding in the State, the crime branch seized 1,014 bags of food grains meant to be distributed in ration shops stocked in private godowns and ready to be siphoned off to other states. A series of raids on Civil Supplies godowns in the State uncovered the rot in the public distribution system and exposed a porous system that was manipulated to affect one of the greatest food grain robberies that the State has heard of in recent memory.
While raids continued on Tuesday, crime branch sleuths have uncovered stacks of food gains, especially rice and wheat skillfully moved from godowns of Civil Supplies in Panaji, Ponda and Sanguem. Five persons have been arrested and vehicles have been seized. Godowns in Curti, Kundaim, Borim and Quepem have been raided and sealed and two inspectors of the Civil Supplies department have been placed under suspension.
If we may recall, similar attempts were exposed in August 2019 when the crime branch raided two private godowns and found that food grains meant for public distribution were being illegally stacked in rooms at Colvale and Sakhali. It also came to light that the food grains were repackaged and were to be dispatched to Kolhapur.
The then Civil Supplies Minister Govind Gaude had given a clean chit to his department stating that a clear record of the flow of stock and delivery to fair price shops is being maintained. Back in 2012, 400 bags were found stored at a Curti-Ponda godown where a truck was engaged to move the consignment to Mangalore. The food grain robbery has a trail, but sadly, loopholes haven't been plugged in yet.
Unfortunately, the rot in the system has been engineered to near-perfection that even successive ministers have feigned ignorance. The issue here is not entirely about maintaining inventory, but deceitfully manipulating stocks. The question is how tonnes of food grains were siphoned off. It raises a strong suspicion of collusion between those arrested or accused and officials of the Civil Supplies department. Could a scam of this magnitude be the handiwork of a few?
Clearly, there is large-scale manipulation in distribution, let’s not forget, there are some sections of people who don’t avail of the ration supplies.
It takes two to tango, and so goes the popular adage. Illegal hoarding and manipulation of the system cannot happen without the tacit help of ‘insiders’ and hence arresting private godown owners and truck drivers will not help. The biometric authentication system is not fool-proof, and this scam has proved just that. For a State that is taking pride in implementing the Food Security Act to benefit more than one-third of the population, this is a huge embarrassment and a setback.
There has to be a thorough probe, and those involved in the scam must be suspended pending an inquiry. The entire public distribution system needs to be investigated and reworked. Goans cannot be denied their rightful food grains.
