Paddy procurement: 49 gate passes generated in 44 minutes at Gharaunda grain market, probe ordered

Parveen Arora

Karnal, October 21

In yet another shocker during paddy procurement, as many as 49 gate passes were generated in just 44 minutes at the Gharaunda grain market this season to only two firms, prompting the authorities to initiate an inquiry in this regard.

As per the authorities, if all formalities required before issuing gate passes are completed by the employees concerned, this number of gate passes can never be issued in a short period, indicating something fishy in the matter. Earlier, a paddy procurement “scam” had been unearthed in various grain markets after the CM flying squad teams raided rice mills and found the stock of paddy short at the mills. The Tribune had also highlighted the issue of proxy procurement.

As per sources, it seems the ID used for issuing gate passes might have been misused to provide benefits to someone. One of the arhtiyas said that the issue should be inquired properly by cyber experts also. These could be fake gate passes for proxy procurement.

Chief Administrator, Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB), asked Deputy Commissioner Karnal, Anish Yadav, to get the matter inquired from an officer of the HCS rank for finding out the truth and initiate appropriate action as per the report.

“Prima facie, it seems that numerous gate passes have been issued in a very short time to one or two firms only at the Gharaunda grain market. During a review of the issuance of gate passes, it came to the fore that on October 3, 28 gate passes were generated in 24 minutes between 9.35 am and 9.59 am. Besides, 21 gate passes were issued in just 20 minutes between 11.08 am and 11.28 am. These gate passes were issued to only two firms,” said the letter issued by the CA, a copy of which is with The Tribune.

“The issuance of a large number of gate passes seems impractical if the process is conducted as per the instructions issued by the board,” the letter added.“I have asked the DC Karnal to get the issue inquired into and submit a report,” said Sujan Singh, CA HSAMB.

“We have deputed assistant secretaries, secretaries, XENs and SDOs from other mandis to monitor and supervise the issuance of gate passes in various grain markets,” said the CA. DC Yadav said he had assigned the inquiry to the SDM Gharaunda.

25 grain markets under scanner

As many as 25 grain markets of the state are under scanner as the HSAMB Panchkula has observed extraordinary arrival of PR paddy there in the initial days of the procurement. Assandh, Babain, Cheeka, Charkhi Dadri, Dhand, Barara, Indri, Jundla, Ismailabad, Kaithal, Karnal, Kunjpura, Ladwa, Mullana, Mustfabad, Naraingarh, Nigdhu, Nissing, Pehowa, Pipli, Pundri, Sahzadpur, Shahbad, Taraori, and Thanesar are among the grain markets which are under lens.