Of Scams and Scamsters
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: March 25, 2013 -
With the minuscule but corrupted State of Manipur becoming synonymous with scams and scandals, it could not be a mere coincidence.
Close behind the report of 1200 metric tonne of rice lifted from the FCI godown at Dimapur gone missing without ever reaching Imphal, the revelation of another 5448 metric tonne of rice worth around Rs 3.07 crores sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development under its Wheat Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP) for distribution among various the Anganwadi Centres in the State being siphoned off has been come about.
In the first case, 1200 metric tonne of rice meant for Manipur had been taken out from the FCI godown at Dimapur in 80 freight trucks till March 6, but not a single truck has reached the FCI godown at Sangaiprou, Imphal despite instruction for delivering the rice within seven days of lifting.
With speculation of transport contractors selling off the rice in black market doing the round, further lifting of State share of the allocated rice quota from the Dimapur FCI godown has been stopped.
Even though the Area Manager of FCI at Imphal has clarified that further lifting of rice from Dimapur godown has been stopped at the request of the State Government since the roof condition of the FCI godown at Imphal is not good, apart from the godown filling up to its capacity, how the Superfine rice meant for distribution among the people under PDS has found its way into Khwairamband Keithel, where a bag of 50 kg is being sold anywhere between Rs 750 to Rs 800 openly, is a question that the Area Manager would find it uncomfortable to answer.
In the second case, a serious question on the integrity of State Social Welfare Department and its officials has been raised with 5558 metric tonne of rice provided under the Wheat Based Nutrition Programmes of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development found siphoned off.
Sanctioned in October last year for distribution among the Anganwadi centres for the third quarters of implementing the ICDS programme, the allocated rice quota had been lifted from the FCI godown between January 19 and 24 last, but not a single grain has been provided to any of the Anganwadi centres, which have been, in fact, left high and dry since October last year.
This is how the ICDS programme is being implemented in Manipur, not for the targeted beneficiaries but for a handful of Government officials, who have come to assume that depriving their rightful shares of the poor people is their birthright.
While involvement of Government officials in such rice scams are not something new in Manipur (in fact, nine employees of the then FCS Department, including an IAS officer, had to suffer the heat of CBI investigation in the infamous rice scam that rocked Manipur in 1991-1992), but what is really worrisome in similar subsequent rice scams in Manipur is the total indifference of the State Government and its authorities concerned from even initiating necessary actions against anyone involved.
And this attitude of the Government has only encouraged all the power-that-be to do whatever they like with least regard for fear of being caught or punished.
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