Bihar farmers in state paddy scam

Daltonganj: The paddy that is supposed to be sold by Jharkhand farmers to Food Corporation of India (FCI) at the state's paddy procurement centres in Palamu, is being sold by Bihar farmers. Farmers from Bihar are using the identity cards of their Jharkhand counterparts to sell their own paddyat a higher price since the price of paddy per quintal in Bihar is Rs700 to 800 whereas in Jharkhand it is bought at Rs 1,410 per quintal.
Sources said Bihar's paddy traders are earning a profit of Rs 600 to 700 per quintal. A visit to one paddy procurement centre in Palamu's Chainpur block on Sunday revealed that in a drought-hit state, huge number of paddy bags are waiting to be purchased by the FCI.
Palamu has always been one of the driest areas of the state and this year there has been very less amount of paddy production. And yet, one can see large bags of paddy being brought to the four procurement centres of Chiyanki, Chhaterpur, Harihurganj and Chainpur.
A farmer, Bhola Nath Yadav of Khurra, at Chainpur paddy procurement centre said, "Bihar's paddy traders are usurping our right to sell paddy. I am here since Friday. My 123 bags of paddy are yet to be procured and the payment formalities have not yet been done."
Sources said the Bihar paddy traders are using the Aadhaar card, Lagaan receipt and bank account details of the Palamu farmers on commission basis. By rule, no paddy trader with Bihar based Aadhaar card number, Lagaan receipt and Bihar based account details can sell his paddy at the procurement centre in Jharkhand.
Bihar's traders have chosen those farmers whose paddy was destroyed in this drought, said sources. Deputy Commissioner of Palamu K Srinivasan confirmed that he has heard about the racket and the divisional manager of FCI Muthuraman will arrive in Daltonganj very soon to look into this alleged scam. Srinivasan said district supply officer and circle officers will assist Muthuraman.
DC Palamu said ' I am told that paddy traders of Bihar are using Palamu's farmers' Adahar Card, Bank Accounts and Lagan receipt for sale of their paddy at these centres since payment to farmers who so sells his paddy is to be done through bank straight into the account of farmer who has sold the paddy at the centre.
He said if the probe establishes fraudulent practice in procurement of paddy at these centres wherein paddy traders of Bihar are out to extract money then the administration will sue official be he of district administration or FCI.