Jajpur: A major scam has unfolded where 23 officials of the civil supplies department in Jajpur, Bhadrak, Ganjam and Nabarangpur districts have allegedly siphoned off government rice to the tune of Rs 2,21,046,948, a report said.
The matter came to the fore after a special audit indicted the officials for their involvement in the scam. The report has indicated the involvement of civil supplies inspectors (CSIs), marketing inspectors (MIs) and civil supplies officers (CSO) in this scam.
Among them, 19 of the officials are from Ganjam district alone. Draft charges against these officials have been made over ten times during last three years. However, the order is yet to be implemented.
Taking note of the delay, Biswajit Keshari Das, managing director of Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) has written to district managers (DM) of civil supplies department to take action against these officials within the deadline, October 1.
He said if action is not taken within the deadline, then it will be presumed that attempts are being made to cover up the wrongdoings of the officials.
On the basis of the report, the OSCSC has written several times to the district civil supplies department to submit necessary papers in this regard.
However, the district civil supplies department is yet to submit the report due to connivance between the DMs and these officials. Das has sought action against those officials who have retired from service.
He asked for a list of errant officials for taking disciplinary action.
PNN