KOHIMA, SEPTEMBER 22 (MExN): The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India’s Stand Alone Audit Report on Public Distribution System (PDS) in Nagaland, for the year ending March 31, 2011, was tabled today in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
Pointing to anomalies in the functioning of the Department of Food and Civil Supplies, the report details the loss in terms of crores. In the scale of delivery of grains, for instance, to identified beneficiaries from all targeted groups, the AG (Audit) has pointed to the “possibility of diversion of excess Above Poverty Line (APL) foodgrains with an estimated value of Rs. 479.49 Crore to the open market and resultant unintended benefit of Rs. 201.60 Crore to state stockists.”
The report, received from R. Naresh, Accountant General (Audit), of 14 chapters, was prepared on the basis of information furnished and made available by concerned departments of the State government from 2005-06 to 2010-11.
In violation of scheme guidelines, the Department of Food and Civil Supplies “diverted 13314.87 MT levy sugar to unlicensed permit holders”. In just four districts, stated the report, there are instances of short receipts of 27852.80 MT levy sugar valued at Rs. 41.78 Crore.
In a case of what seems like utter fabrication on part of the Department, it provided 826.76 MT foodgrains to 23 non-existent hostels under SC/ST/OBC hostel schemes. Moreover, 4334.02 MT foodgrains were issued to 140 non-existent welfare institutions and hostels under welfare and hostel scheme. Thus, the AG (Audit) hasn’t ruled out the possibility of diversion of 5160.78 MT foodgrains to the open market. The Department’s claim that 143 Village Grain Bank being set up during 2006-11 “appeared to be fictitious” too as stated by district level officers and local bodies.
Exemplifying the massive cracks within the Government, the report also alleges that “41 per cent of the households in the State remained outside the PDS since 2005.” Since the State government did not conduct any surveys of its own, thereby failing to comply with the scheme guidelines, the report categorically stated, “lack of effective action on the part of the Department (of Food and Civil Supplies) to review the list of beneficiaries on yearly basis coupled with absence of coordination with the local bodies resulted in extension of undue benefit to ineligible beneficiaries of 1007.13 MT rice and 228.82 MT wheat/atta valued at Rs. 76.24 Lakh during the period of 2005-11 while denying the rightful benefits to the eligible beneficiaries.”
The misuse of 5069 ration cards were pointed out as the Directorate issued excess rations cards to district offices without any requisition.
Since the Department did not monitor the pricing pattern of foodgrains sold at different levels, “both the Department-authorized stockist and the Fair Price Shops charged higher rate than the Government notified rate putting extra burden on the beneficiaries.”
Another aberration is the inadequacy of the Department to store foodgrains. As a result, “the Department could store only 7300 MT in government godowns and 4474 MT foodgrains were stored in private godowns of the stockist every month.”
Reportedly, though 1055.18 MT of rice under Mid-Day Meal scheme was not received by six Deputy Inspector of Schools, the Department paid Rs. 64.89 Lakh to the handling agent. Further, though the Department reported achievement of mid-day meal of 200 days in a year to the GOI, 15 tech checked schools achieved only 80 days in a year, attributed to short or non-release of foodgrains and delay in supply of the same.
The anomalies affected other departments too, who could in turn also be implicated. The Department of Social Welfare, for instance, has been reported to have incurred “avoidable extra expenditure of Rs. 46.03 Lakh being transportation and packing charges for foodgrains which were not transported”. Though the Director of Social Welfare claimed to have dispatched 10625.97 MT foodgrains, 12 Child Development Project Officers received only 9627.76 MT, laying suspect to 1695.88 MT being diverted to the open market.
Against GOI release of Rs. 316.88 Lakh for procurement of 4318.16 MT of rice under Nutritional Programme for Adolescent Girls, the State government released only Rs. 229.52 Lakh and lifted 3378.95 MT. “Thus, 939.21 MT of rice valued at Rs. 87.36 Lakh remained unlifted due to non-release of funds by the State Government,” stated the report.
The report has also suggested that foodgrains were being distributed to beneficiaries without ascertaining exact weight and quality due to the lack of gauging machines and other quality investigation equipment.
