MARGAO
Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday lambasted the State government for allowing racketeers to pilfer 20 tonnes of food grains meant for poor families, and sell it in Karnataka.
“The State government has colluded with certain individuals and permitted them to cart off huge quantities of rice and wheat from its godowns. It’s beyond doubt that the ‘Antodaya Tatva’ Pramod Sawant keeps talking about is nothing but another deceitful distraction from the rampant corruption in Goa’s public distribution system,” Sardesai said.
He pointed out that earlier the chief minister and his government had allowed Goa’s water from the Mhadei to be diverted to Karnataka, and now its food that is meant for the poor.
“On one hand, he talks about Antodaya Tatva to provide food to the poorest of poor families while on the other hand the same food is being stolen from right under his nose with the collusion of the government. Nothing could be more sinful and immoral”, Sardesai asserted.
He said a few people have been caught but the kingpin is still absconding, adding that the government must restrain itself from finding another scapegoat, as it is its habit, to escape criminal action.
“In the tur dal scam, the government had made civil supplies director Siddhivinayak Naik a scapegoat to shield the Civil Supplies Minister Govind Gaude. Who will be the scapegoat this time? Will it be the officer who exposed this racket?” Sardesai questioned.
In August, he said the Goa Forward Party had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order an investigation into the alleged tur dal scam wherein 241 metric tonnes of tur dal meant for the poor were allowed to rot and then sold for a few lakh rupees. Sardesai claimed that no action has been taken till now.
CM says he has asked for details on issue
MARGAO:
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday asserted that food grains received by the State should go to the beneficiaries and not to any other person.
Commenting on the Crime Branch raids conducted on the illegal transportation of food grains to neighbouring states, the Chief Minister said he has asked for details on the issue.
He, however, said the preliminary inquiry has revealed that the Crime Branch has found a disproportionate quota when they checked the stock.
“This has happened because the Civil Supplies quota is not lifted and it remains there in the stock,” he said while asserting that the quota received by the State should go to the intended beneficiaries.
