Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, May 10: A major scam worth crores in the ICDS wing of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) has been detected after several samples of the food and nutrition items being supplied to thousands of Anganwadi Centers by `favourites firms’ have proved sub-standard and misbranded by the Drug and Food Safety (DFS) teams while the Vigilance department has started inquiry after seizure of record from the offices of several CDPOs and Project Officer of Samba.
Not only the nutrition items, but the non-nutrition items including toys, charts, stationery, utensils, jute mats and the medicines worth over Rs 15 to 20 crores were also purchased without inviting tenders and any approval of the Govt designated committees headed by Deputy Commissioners, by various CDPOs and senior officers in just during last quarter of the last financial year (2014-2015) in Jammu division. The same practice is believed to have been adopted in Kashmir province. The quality of Nutri, Suji, Grams, Mustard oil, and Refined Oil and pulses is so low and sub-standard that most of the samples collected in district Samba by the teams have failed, raising question on the credibility of the purchase committee headed by Dy Commissioner.
Sources in the Vigilance department told the Excelsior that seizure of record in district Samba is just a tip of an iceburg. The record seized from various CDPO offices and Project Officer Samba has made startling revelations about the state of affairs in the ICDS wing of the Social Welfare department. “It is virtual loot and plunder at some level within the SWD where officers who have no authority to make purchases even worth Rs 10,000 were made to purchase items worth lakhs that too, without inviting tenders and bypassing the norms, a senior Vigilance officer said.
The sources disclosed that a well- knit nexus of suppliers/ contractors and some officials of the ICDS Projects and some key members of the Purchase Committees is thriving and hefty commission is going to the coffers of some `beneficiary officials’, who have compromised on the quality of the stuff without caring for the health and lives of lakhs of little and hapless poor children grooming in thousands of Anganwadi Centers functioning in the State. It said that Vigilance Commissioner has taken serious note of the matter and directed the Vigilance SSPs of all the districts to initiate secret inquiry by lifting samples in coordination with the Drug and Food Safety officials and scrutinize the records as almost the same suppliers have provided items in many districts.
Reports said the team of Drug and Food Safety led by Designated District Officer Samba, Pankaj Soni lifted samples from various Anganwadi Centers in Ghagwal, Samba, Vijaypur, Purmandal, Ramgarh and Bari Brahamana area and most of the stuff including Refined oil, Suji, Nutri, ‘Sewian’ and even grams have been found substandard. Even, the Mustard oil supplied was found misbranded. The Vigilance and Drugs and Food Safety teams were jointly investigating.
A senior officer said that after receiving some complaints of poor stuff provided in Anganwadi Centers in district Samba, the team including Food Inspectors R S Jamwal and Hans Raj Andotra started lifting samples and the same were sent for Lab tests. The samples failed to qualify the standards. He said the samples of Gokul brand oil was lifted. It has been found misbranded and original seal was not found at the lid of tins and other gradients were also missing. The concerned firm has also been intimated and suppliers have been summoned to clear their position but they are avoiding to appear despite several messages. Sewian of Gopalji brand have been also found sub standard and some foreign material (raw stuff of the ropes) has been found in some packets. Refined oil of Kamaldeep brand of a Bari Brahamana based firm has also failed to qualify. Suji from a Bari Brahamana unit besides grams wherein foreign material has been found have also been found sub-standard.
SSP Vigilance Samba-Kathua, R K Chalotra when contacted said that the Vigilance teams raided several offices of the ICDS and Project office Samba. He said the team with the help of Food inspectors also lifted some samples from various Anganwadi centers. Most of the stuff collected was found highly sub standard. He said it was discovered that even for one brand three four different fake/ forged firms have been floated. It was surprising to establish that CDPOs were authorized to make purchases worth lakhs for which they were not competent. Bypassing all the norms and guidelines, they made purchases of non-nutrition items worth lakhs. Many items were purchased which were not required at all, he added.
DC Samba, Sheetal Nanda when contacted said that Project Officer Samba has already been attached and the inquiry started. She said the Drug and Food department officials took samples from a few places and some firms raised objections. Therefore, she being chairperson of the Purchase Committee, directed the District head of Drug and Food Safety Deptt to re-lift samples in presence of suppliers and they have started process. She said if the samples failed at the earlier instance obviously, they will fail again. The DC said though she had sent a representative from her office in the purchase committee meet, yet she is equally concerned about the seriousness of the issue. The Vigilance department has also started its work and many things will come to light. She said district Samba has pointed out this thing and others may also follow, she maintained.
Mission Director, ICDS (J&K), Mukhtar- Ul-Aziz when contacted said that as the matter came to his notice in Samba Project, he attached the Project Officer under suspension. Mr Aziz said there is set procedure of purchases in each district. Three- tier system is adopted while making purchases of the items for the Centers. DC is the chairman of the Committee, Project Officer ICDS Member Secretary, District Treasury Officer, AD CAPD and CMO are the other members. The samples are generally lifted in presence of firm owners and sent for tests. For making purchases, if the samples collected do not qualify, they are rejected and only those firms are approved which provide good quality.
Minister for Social Welfare Bali Bhagat claimed that matter has come to his notice. It is not only Samba, there are reports that same thing has happened in Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, Rajouri, Doda and even in parts of Kashmir. He said there are nearly 30,000 Anganwadi Centres in the State and the number in Jammu region is nearly 19000. “It is the question of the health of lakhs of poor children of the State. I have asked the top Vigilance Officers and the Mission Director to go far indepth inquiry. No body will be spared. They have indulged in criminal act and they will have to face the consequences. The firm owners/ contractors duping the department/ poor children and playing with their lives should be behind the bars. Even officers conniving with the dishonest contractors will have to face the consequences, the Minister added.
He said not only this, many other things like under weighing of stuff, deduction by seniors, fictitious roll in Centers, embezzlement of funds meant for TA/ maintenance, fuel supply etc have come to his notice, Mr Bhagat added.
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