Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has pointed towards irregularities in supply of Take Home Ration (THR) by the suppliers. It suspected a fake supply of 479.46 MT THR through non-existent trucks.

In its audit report, the CAG said that during the scrutiny of challans collected from the plants and offices of selected District Programme Officers (DPOs), it found 40 challans wherein five firms had supplied 479.46 MT of THR worth Rs 2.96 crore by trucks. 

The five firms are MP Agro Nutri Foods Ltd, MP Agronotics Ltd, MPSAIDCL, Kota Dal Mill Rajasthan and MP Agro Food Industries Ltd. However, on verifying the truck numbers at ‘VAHAN’ portal, they were found to be registered as motorcycles, cars, autos, tractors and tankers. The CAG said this indicates that the manufacturing plants submitted fraudulent records pertaining to the supply.

The fact that “Panchnamas” are duly compiled in the project offices concerned for the receipt of the THR also indicates possible collusion between the plants, suppliers and the project officials.

Further, the five firms lifted 187.85 MT wheat and 45.87 MT rice at subsidised rates for supply. This means these firms took undue financial benefits of Rs 35.74 lakh as difference between MSP and subsidised rates.

The CAG also noticed 25 challans where four firms (Kota Dal Mill Rajasthan, MAASSM, MP Agrotonics Ltd and MPSAIDCL) had supplied 409.09 MT THR worth Rs 2.50 crore by trucks. However, it did not find any records of these truck numbers at VAHAN portal.

In the absence of records on VAHAN portal, it could not confirm whether the truck numbers mentioned in the challans were truck or not. When the CAG pointed out the cases, the government attributed writing wrong truck numbers on challans due to clerical mistakes and conversion of trucks into tankers by vehicle owners as main reasons for the discrepancies.

In its report, the CAG said as per challan, MP 09 HC 0355 was a truck and as per VAHAN portal, it is a car. In its reply, the government said the vehicle is truck and the wrong number has been mentioned due to clerical errors.

However, in its audit remark, the CAG said the reply is not acceptable as truck number MP 09 HC 3055 mentioned in the reply is also a car as per VAHAN database. Likewise, truck number JH 05 BA 0511 was found to be a motorcycle/scooter on VAHAN portal.

On the contrary, the government dubbed it as a truck. A truck number, as per challan, UP 77 L 1548 is a motorcycle on VAHAN portal. In its reply, the government said UP 77 N 1548 is a truck and the wrong number has been mentioned due to clerical errors. Moreover, the CAG said there are many trucks whose record was not found on VAHAN portal.