Patiala, September 30
Even as officials of the Union Ministry of Food and the CBI, who have been raiding Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns to check the quality of rice, are yet to give their report, Mr T.C. Gupta, Senior Regional Manager, FCI, Punjab, has recommended suspension of 10 district managers (DM) for their alleged involvement in facilitating the acceptance of bad quality of rice.
Information gathered by The Tribune stated that the FCI authorities, which had already given compulsory retirement to its 14 employees and placed 86 under suspension for accepting bad quality of rice, had informally taken the decision to endorse the recommendation of Mr Gupta.
Though Mr V.K. Malhotra, Managing Director, FCI, New Delhi, could not be contacted, a senior official said suspension orders of 10 DMs was in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, millers alleged that they were forced to supply bad quality rice to the FCI in lieu of custom milling of paddy by its officials as they took bribe from them for accepting their stock. They said they had to pay Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 as bribe to FCI officials connected with quality control and storage for the acceptance of 500 bags of rice.
Mr Gupta, while admitting the fact that huge bribe was being taken by the FCI officials from the millers for accepting bad quality rice, said time had come when this nexus must be broken and good quality rice should be supplied to the rice-consuming states.
