In Mizoram, VIPs Grab Wheat Meant For Poor

Aizawl, Apr 18 : The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has taken a strong exception to the diversion of wheat products to very important persons (VIPs) in Mizoram, which had been done as per the decision of the state government.

The CAG, in its report for the year ended March 31, 2010, revealed that even though no separate allocation of wheat products to the VIPs in the state was made by the government of India, under the PDS, the DCSO Aizawl East during 2006-2010 had diverted wheat products (allocated to the district) to 239 VIPs by appointing two separate VIP fair price shops.

According to the report, the diversion of wheat products meant for the general public to VIPs accounted for 13 to 68 per cent of the total distribution of wheat products, depriving the general consumers to that extent.

Despite the state governments statement that the decision (to divert the wheat products) was made by the state government, the CAG insisted that the wheat products allocated by the GoI for BPL families were ''irregularly diverted'' for distribution to the VIPs.

The CAG report further revealed that six villages under Champhai district never received wheat products during 2005-2010 despite the fact that the district civil supplied officer (DCSO) lifted 4160 metric tons of wheat products for distribution to the public during the said period.

It was also noticed by the CAG that these same villages who did not receive wheat products, had food grain sold to them by retailers (fair price shops) at higher rates than that approved by the government.

According to the CAG report, the Champhai DCSO also disproportionately issued sugar to rural and urban residents at the scale of 300 grams per head per month and 400 grams per head per month respectively.

The CAG also voiced concern over the pilferage of kerosene oil into Myanmar under Champhai DCSO.

The seven special dealers under Champhai town appointed by the food, civil supplies consumer affair department, reported that out of allocated quota of kerosene oil, they used to sell two kilolitre of kerosene to the consumers of the neighbouring Myanmar every month at higher prices.

The dealers said they did this because the monthly allotment was more than the requirement of the local consumers.