CID will probe role of rice mafia at Kakinada-based ports, says Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar
The mafia owns a vessel for exporting PDS rice to the African countries, the Minister alleges
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Nadendla Manohar on June 29 (Saturday) announced that the Crime Investigation Department (CID) would inquire into the alleged illegal export of recycled rice from the Kakinada anchorage port to the African countries by the rice mafia.
Mr. Manohar led the two-day raids on the godowns and rice export activities at the ports in Kakinada city.
In an interaction with the stakeholders of the Civil Supplies Department here at the Collectorate, Mr. Manohar stated that the rice mafia in the Kakinada-based ports owned a vessel through which broken rice was exported to various destinations in the African countries.
“The mafia involved in the scandal procures rice supplied through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and exports by sea route from the Kakinada-based ports, including the government-run Anchorage port. Given the scale of the scandal, the rice exports will be probed by the Crime Investigation Department,” said Mr. Manohar. The modus operandi of the mafia was to break the procured PDS rice and export it in the name of ‘broken rice’.
“We will share our findings on the export of broken rice and PDS rice with the CID authorities for further probe. We will continue the raids on the rice trade and exports being done by sea route. The officials associated with the seaports will also be made responsible if their role is established in the probe,” added Mr. Manohar.
Huge seizure
On the seizure of rice during the two-day raids, Mr. Manohar said, “A whopping 7,615 tonnes of rice has been seized during the raids on various export agencies and the godowns of the agencies such as Lavan International, Ayyappa Export, Vishwa Priya, Sartex India, Sarala Foods, V.S. Raju Sons.”
On Saturday alone, 5,300 tonnes of rice was seized. In the raids, 2,800 tonnes belonging to Ashok International and 2,500 tonnes of H1 export agency was seized.
Civil Supplies Corporation Managing Director G. Veerapandian, Kakinada District Collector Shan Mohan Sagili, Kakinada MP T. Uday Srinivas, and Kakinada Rural MLA P. Venkateswara Rao were among present.
Paddy procurement dues
Mr. Manohar also announced that the government would release ₹1,000 crore in one week to clear the pending bills of procurement of paddy in Rabi-2024. Mr. Manohar said the previous government did not clear ₹1,600 crore dues to the farmers for the paddy procurement.
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