KTR accused Congress Government for an alleged RS. 1,000 crore paddy lifting and rice procurement scam, demanding the Chief Minister Revanth reddy and minister Uttam kumar reddy to clear themselves of the allegations. He challenged them to initiate a judicial inquiry with a sitting judge into this Rs. 1,000 crore scam, asserting that “Galli me looto… Delhi me bhaanto” is the Congress policy.
Bharat Rashtra Samiti Working President KTR accused the Congress government, particularly its Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, of being implicated in a 1000 crore scam in the civil supply department. KTR alleged that the Congress government was involved in this massive scam related to the sale of paddy and procurement of fine rice. Addressing the media at the party’s central office, Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad, KTR accused the Congress party of looting the government exchequer.
KTR presented some documents regarding the scam during his press conference. He explained that the civil supplies department, under the supervision of Uttam Kumar Reddy and the Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, awarded tenders to four companies to lift paddy from rice millers in the state. He accused both the Chief Minister and the Minister of establishing a committee, issuing guidelines, and calling for tenders all on January 25 itself.
KTR remarked that while the government showed no urgency in fulfilling electoral promises, but it swiftly awarded these tenders dubiously in one day with jet speed. He alleged that the Congress government was looting government funds in the name of global tenders for 35 lakh metric tons of paddy. He noted that local rice millers were ready to purchase the same paddy for Rs. 2,100 rupees per quintal, but the Congress government sold it at prices ranging from Rs. 1,885 to Rs. 2,007 rupees per quintal by companies like Kendriya Bhandar, LG Industries, Hindustan Company, and NACAF, who secured the tenders by quoting lower rates.
KTR further accused these four companies of blackmailing local rice millers, demanding 2230 rupees per quintal, which is 200 rupees more than their tendered rates, leading to an Rs. 800 crore scam. He claimed that these companies stated that this extra amount would go to officials in the Chief Minister’s office for election expenses and would be sent to Delhi. He pointed out that according to the tender agreement, these companies had no right to demand money instead of paddy from the rice millers.
Despite this blackmail by the companies, the Congress government remained silent. KTR also noted that these companies failed to lift the paddy within the stipulated 90-day period, which ended on May 23rd, and they sought an extension from the government, which is under positive consideration. He accused the government of trying to extend the period to fleece more money from the millers instead of taking action against the companies for violating tender conditions.
KTR demanded that the government release a white paper detailing how much paddy had been lifted and address the allegations of money collection from millers instead of paddy. He criticized the government for its silence on this multi-crore scam for over two weeks. KTR also faulted the government policy for tendering fine and raw paddy at the same price.
KTR criticized the government for purchasing fine rice at 15 rupees more per kilogram than the market price. He noted that the BRS government, under KCR, had introduced fine rice for school and hostel students as a humane initiative, but the Congress government was exploiting this noble cause for corruption. Even today, new fine rice with 10% broken rice is priced at around 42 rupees per kilogram in the market, while the government is paying 57 rupees per kilogram from companies. He highlighted that the same four companies involved in the dubious paddy lifting tenders were also awarded tenders for buying fine rice, raising public doubts. These companies quoted the nearly same rate in tenders, blatantly rigging the process, KTR said.
KTR reminded that the erstwhile government used procured paddy for fine rice supply, securing better quality fine rice at just 35 rupees per kilogram. He accused the government under Revanth Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy of engaging in a 300 crore scam in fine rice procurement by procuring 2.20 lakh metric tons. He demanded the immediate cancellation of tender awarding letters for fine rice procurement from these shady companies.
KTR also highlighted that Kendriya Bhandar, which was blacklisted by the BRS government, was awarded a tender for paddy lifting and rice procurement. This blatant irregularity raised doubts about the government’s intentions, KTR said. He demanded an immediate inquiry by a sitting judge into these allegations and called for the government to present all details regarding the paddy lifting and fine rice procurement processes.
KTR urged the BJP and its leaders to show their commitment by involving central agencies and the FCI to investigate this thousand-crore scam. He reminded that the FCI always monitors paddy procurement and minimum support price transactions as per the Food Security Act. The central government’s silence also raised suspicions of collusion with the Congress government in this paddy scam.
If the Congress and BJP fail to clarify their roles in this thousand-crore paddy and fine rice scam, KTR warned that they would seek judicial intervention. He also threatened to expose this scam to the public.