Rs.25 lakh foodgrain scam in Bihar flood relief

PATNA - Bihar officials claim to have carried quintals of foodgrains for flood relief on two wheelers, instead of trucks, says a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) that exposed corruption amounting to Rs.25 lakh in the state.

According to the CAG report 2009, tabled in the monsoon session of the state assembly, motorcycles and scooters were ostensibly used instead of trucks for ferrying food grains during August-October 2007 flood relief operation in Khagaria district.

“Claims that 3,115.66 quintals of foodgrains worth Rs.25 lakh were transported appeared false and the money has been embezzled using fake truck numbers,” the CAG report said.

The report said that a scooter was shown to have carried 92.49 quintals of foodgrains and three motorcycles were together shown to have carried 274.15 quintals of foodgrains meant for flood relief.

“Out of the 32 trucks used for transportation of foodgrains for flood relief, eight did not exist at all and were shown to have transported 891.58 quintals of food grains. Three registration numbers were of motorcycles, 15 of tractors, four of mini trucks and one each of a jeep and a scooter.

“However, the official record of the Bihar State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Limited in Khagaria revealed that foodgrains were lifted from Mansi railway station and transported through trucks,” the report said.