Pulwama, Nov 05: An attached official involved in ration scandal in Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department (CAPD) has been promoted to the post of Chief Inspector while he has also been entrusted with additional charge of Assistant Director. It was his second promotion within a span of six months.
In a letter vide number CA&PDD/Pul/2014/4087 to the Director CA&PD Kashmir, Assistant Director Pulwama had revealed that then Tehsil Supply Officer (TSO) had indulged in fraud and has misappropriated all but 8672.72 quintals of rice in Khrew circle of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Assistant Director CA&PD Pulwama in his letter to the Director had also revealed that Vigilance Organization Kashmir vide order number SP(ABP)-14-AHD-605-A had asked for the grain bag statement of Kakapora and Pulwama circles in which the said TSO is also involved in issuing over and above quantity of food grains in BPL and AAY category and the records pertaining to this is missing in district Pulwama, which according to the AD Pulwama needs to be verified at grass root level.
AD Pulwama had further written that the said TSO had been indulged in this practice for a long time and the same has been un-noticed by the concerned officers of the department.
Soon after the surfacing of the fraud, the Chief Accounts Section of the Department conducted an inquiry held the said TSO responsible for the fraud. In its findings the inquiry committee maintained that the total quantity of 8672.72 quintals of rice in APL category has been issued over and above than the actual allotment while the TSO failed to monitor the distribution of food grains and did not report the over and above distribution, which could have prevented further continuation and malpractices in the Circle.
Accused TSO was immediately attached and later on suspended while a team of inquiry was constituted to probe his shoddy character. Despite the suspension and attachment of the said official the Directorate of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Kashmir has promoted him to the post of Chief Inspector. An order vide number 602-DCAPDK duly signed by Deputy Director CAPD South Kashmir reads that, “consequent upon the promotion of accused official to the post of Chief Inspector, it is hereby ordered that the said official have been assigned the duty to monitor, enforce accountability and ensure fair distribution of food grains to the rationees and make sure that the Remittances/sale proceeds are deposited in the respective treasuries within the time schedule as prescribed by the Government. He shall also effectively monitor and regulate supplies of Kerosene Oil with reference to the allocation made by the Department and further also supervise the centre wise allocation.”
Insiders in the department are shocked over the development and blame the authorities for the mess. They claim that the accused official greased the palms of some top officers of the department. “Instead of taking him task, the authorities have promoted him. This will certainly send a wrong signal,” an Assistant Director on condition of anonymity told CNS adding that when the file about the shoddy dealings of the official was placed before the incumbent CAPD Minister, but he didn’t initiate any action against the official.
The insiders further said that the accused official issued 17740.68 quintals of rice in excess quantity in Pulwama and Kakapora circles from 2002 to 2003 under BPL/AAY category, but no inquiry was conducted till date, even though Assistant Director had requested Director CAPD vide number CAPDDD/Pul/2014/5716 but no inquiry was conducted in this regard.
When contacted a top official from CAPD Department said that he doesn’t know how the accused against whom inquiry is still pending has been promoted. “I will definitely look into the matter. It should not have happened,” he said.
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