Shillong, August 11: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has reprimanded the Goa government for a financial loss of Rs 1.91 crore due to the procurement of excessive ‘Tur Dal’ without considering consumer demand and Fair Price Shop capacities.
As per IANS, in August 2022, the government faced scrutiny for its handling of tur dal wastage, which surfaced after inviting bids for its disposal. The CAG’s 2021 report, presented during the monsoon session, highlighted that the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (DCS&CA) aimed to provide relief during the Covid-19 pandemic to Above Poverty Line (APL) and Annapurna (ANP) ration card holders by supplying one kg of tur dal per month for four months (April to July 2020) through the Public Distribution System.
The Civil Supply Department had ordered 800 MT of tur dal from the National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) – 100 MT to be sold through the Goa State Horticultural Corporation Ltd (GSHCL) and the rest through Fair Price Shops (FPS). The Goa government’s Cabinet later decided to distribute only 408 MT of tur dal (one kg per card) for two months (April and May 2020).
Despite post-facto approval for procurement and a Rs 6.80 crore expenditure sanction, only 139.57 MT (34.23%) of the 400 MT supplied by NAFED was lifted by FPS during April-May 2020. Low uptake was attributed to ration card holders’ poor response.
GSHCL declined to take the tur dal due to preference for polished dal from the open market, costing Rs 73/kg, compared to the DCS&CA’s partially polished tur dal at a higher price of Rs 80/kg. The Education Department later accepted the remaining 241.21 MT for distribution in the Mid-Day Meal scheme.
However, a Food and Drugs Administration quality check, initiated by the Secretary of Civil Supplies, revealed that the entire tur dal quantity was deemed “unsafe food.” Attempts to utilize it as cattle/poultry feed were unsuccessful, as per the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s assessment.
