Madhya Pradesh: Scam Unearthed In State's Free Food Programmes, Ration Distribution Irregularities Finds Auditor

Large-scale frauds, irregularities in identification of beneficiaries, discrepancy in distribution and quality control of free meal scheme have been found in the department which is with the MP CM .

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Source : Getty Images

New Delhi: A 36-page confidential report by the Accountant General of Madhya Pradesh has unearthed a big scam in the Women and Child Development (WCD) department of the state. The report has brought to the fore that several kilograms of nutritional food weighing crores came on the truck which has been shown on paper, but the investigation reveals that it was ferried on a motorcycle and auto rickshaw, sources told ABP News. According to the report, the ration worth crores of rupees has been distributed in the name of lakhs of such children who do not go to school.

Along with this, large-scale frauds, irregularities in identification of beneficiaries, discrepancy in distribution and quality control of the ambitious free meal scheme for school children have been found in this department which is with the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

MP Food Scam: Claims As Per The Report 

The report claimed that 1,125.64 metric tonnes of ration costing Rupees 6.94 crore was transported from six factories on trucks, but on verification from the transport department, it was revealed that motorcycles, cars, autos, tankers were registered on the registration number provided on the trucks, according to sources.  

As per the report, about 24 percent of the Take Home Ration (THR) scheme for 2021 was based on screening of beneficiaries. Under this scheme, 49.58 lakh registered children and women were to be given nutritious food. These included 34.69 lakh children in the age group of 6 months to 3 years, 14.25 lakh pregnant women and lactating mothers and about 64 thousand girls in the age group of 11-14 years who have dropped out of school due to some reason.

Embezzlement Of Rupees 110.83 Crore 

During scrutiny of the report, it was found that only three out-of-school girls were registered in 49 Anganwadi centres in eight districts of the state. However, under the same 49 Anganwadi centres, the WCD department had empaneled 63,748 girls and claimed to have helped 29,104 of them during 2018-21. Clearly, by manipulating the figures, there was a forgery of ration worth Rs 110.83 crore.

Misappropriation Worth Rupees 58 Crores

In addition, the ration manufacturing plants also reported production more than their rated and estimated capacity. When the raw material and power consumption was compared with the actual ration production, it was found that Rs 58 crore was misappropriated.