The Sindh government has submitted an inquiry report to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Minfa), confirming that the Pakistan Storages and Supply Corporation (Passco) had purchased rain-hit paddy crop from middlemen, instead of growers, it is learnt.
According to sources the agriculture department of Sindh government had recently submitted a detailed inquiry report to the Prime Minister's Secretariat and Minfa about the misappropriation of millions of rupees by Passco officials, depriving the poor growers of their rights.
The Minfa had allocated Rs 570 million and the Passco was asked to purchase some 40,000 tons of damaged rice at Rs 600 per maund and 0.5 million tons, comparatively usable crop at Rs 700 per maund, they said, adding that the Sindh agriculture department had detected massive corruption of Passco officials. The officials of Passco were alleged to have purchased the commodity from the middlemen at Rs 250 per maund.
Passco had purchased 0.170 million tons of usable rice and 12,000 tons of damaged ones from the middlemen and flourmills who had purchased the rice from growers at low rates and the officials of the corporation had purchased it at government-fixed rates, they added.
After several complaints of local growers, the Passco was directed to stop the purchasing process and the District Co-ordination Officers (DCOs) were instructed to probe into the matter and submit the report to the Agriculture Secretary.
Sources said that the DCOs of different districts in their reports had confirmed that the Passco purchased the damaged commodity directly from the growers in only two districts including Dadu and Larkana at Rs 480 per maund. However, officials of the corporation had misappropriated millions of rupees by purchasing the commodity from millers and traders in return of heavy bribe and due to apathy of provincial government, they said.
The district where growers were neglected in the purchasing process include Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Qamber-Shahdadkot, Kashmore-Kandhkot, Badin, Sukkur, Naushehro Feroz, Benazirabad (Nawabshah), Ghotki, Sanghar and Khairpur.
The Sindh government had submitted a detailed inquiry report to the federal authorities, urging disciplinary action against the Passco officials. President and Prime Minister were also urged to interfere into the matter and take immediate measures to take damaged paddy crop from growers so that they could be facilitated by the government, sources further said.